


Mirror Image

by Kaleidoscopic_Lover



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, M/M, Romance, Sonadow - Freeform, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-07
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-05-12 11:50:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 121,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5665090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaleidoscopic_Lover/pseuds/Kaleidoscopic_Lover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How can you fight yourself? Your mirror image knows all your fears, your weaknesses, your self-doubt. When Sonic turns out to be his own worst enemy, the Hero of Mobius needs someone to be HIS hero. Shadow has to put his rivalry aside to save Sonic from himself, but in doing so, discovers feelings he never thought possible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I - Friends and Rivals

**I – Friends & Rivals**

A flash of blue lightning rippled through the gentle haze of the morning sun in Station Square. A cacophony of screeching tires rang out in an excited gasp, heralding the arrival of the streak of blue cascading down the city streets. The morning commuters shielded their eyes from the cloud of dust that followed in the wake of the indistinct shape, indifferent to the disruption. To the citizens of Station Square, this was a mundane occurrence. They set their watches in time with Sonic's morning run.

On the other side of the city park, outside a detached two-storey house, the blue blur leapt into sharp relief in an instant. A few excited children tugged on their parent's arms and pointed to the famous hedgehog, for the adults the sudden appearance of Sonic the Hedgehog stretching his legs against his garden fence elicited a smile of appreciation before they continued on their way.

The people of Station Square loved Sonic for the many times he had saved their lives, and they had tried to reward him with stacks of cash, sports cars and mansions. Sonic had refused to accept anything but a simple two-up two-down near the park, with the only request being a space large enough to convert into a workshop for Tails. The double garage tacked on to the side of the house more than suited his needs.

The weeds encroaching on the dry stone of the garden path retreated from the red and white sneakers cutting through them. Approaching the wooden door coloured in cobalt blue, Sonic let a relaxed sigh escape him. He had needed the fresh air to take his mind away from the incident he had with Shadow the previous afternoon.

They had gotten into another scrap. Rouge had brought Shadow into the city to try and get him to socialize more, but five minutes of civility proved too much for him to handle, his ego overflowed, and Sonic felt the need to put him in his place. The same thing happened every time he crossed paths with the surly black hedgehog. They had always been bitter rivals, even after Shadow stopped trying to destroy the world. Their friends insisted the rivalry had more to do with their similarities; headstrong, cocky, determined and all the tired terms he had heard many times before. Sonic didn't buy it though, in his opinion, he and Shadow had nothing in common.

Pushing open the front door, Sonic felt a rush of warm, stale air invade his nostrils. Spluttering, he peered through the bright sunlight flooding through the large front window. Empty pizza boxes and soda cans were strewn across the coffee table; its glass stained by a myriad of sauces and dried-out syrupy drinks. A tangled mess of wires snaked out from under the TV, ensnaring a solitary grubby sneaker trying to hide under the table.

Sonic drew in a sharp intake of breath, then let it go in a single exasperated huff. Spread out before him lay the aftermath of his 'boy's night in' with Tails & Knuckles. Biting his lip, Sonic looked around the room, eager to find something to do other than tidy up.

"Tails?" Sonic called, "you in here?"

No reply came. Shaking his head in resignation, Sonic swept up as much junk as he could carry into his arms. Staggering into the kitchen, barely able to see around his burden, he fumbled with his foot for the bin's foot pedal. Hearing the familiar clang of the bin popping open, he let his arms fall away from him.

Sonic winced as a shower of tin cans scattered across the kitchen tiles with a deafening clang.

"Well, that could have gone better." He scratched behind his ear, wondering if he could find an easier way.

"Hey Sonic, you're home," came an all-too-familiar voice from behind him. Sonic span around to see Tails standing in the kitchen doorway, his golden fur glistening in the morning sun. The hedgehog spread out his arms and legs in a vain attempt to conceal the havoc strewn across the kitchen floor from his friend. His narrow body was about as effective as a pencil trying to conceal an elephant, and Sonic could feel the guilty grin spread across his face.

"Hey little buddy," said Sonic, beaming, "sorry about the mess. Where were you hiding anyways?"

"In my workshop, where else?" said the little fox, "I would have cleaned that stuff up myself, but I just had to finish this project I've been working on. You should come and take a look, Sonic. Worry about that mess later."

Sonic knew what a new project for Tails would be like. Tails would drone on about quantum physics and other science stuff that Sonic didn't understand, and he would have to smile and look interested. Suddenly tidying up didn't seem like such a daunting prospect.

"Ah, I would, Tails, it's just I've got a thing… you know… needs doing, or something"

"Come and see, Sonic," said Tails, "please?" Sonic recognised that tone. Tails was deploying his secret weapon. With eyes opened wide enough for Sonic to fall into, and a lower lip quivering and upturned, Tails took hold of Sonic's hand and looked up at him, blue eyes starting to glisten in the bright sunlight.

"Enough with the sad puppy look," Sonic groaned, "you know I hate seeing you upset, even if you are so blatantly faking it. Let's go and see your project."

"Yay!" Tails face switched to a triumphant smile as quick as a blink, and Sonic shook his head laughing. The little fox dashed off towards the workshop, and Sonic trudged along behind towards the door where his friend's fluffy tails disappeared from view.

The stench of oil and grease chased the stale air of the living room from Sonic's nose the moment he crossed the doorway. The sunlight streaming into the workshop swirled with dust, and a patchwork tablecloth of blueprints and sketches covered Tail's workbench. Almost every scrap of floor space had some hunk of metal occupying it, and Sonic tiptoed through what little gaps were offered, watching every step for fear of something exploding. Clambering over what looked like a car engine welded to a baby pram, Sonic took a seat on a stool, brushing off some loose scraps which vanished into the mess surrounding him.

"So what did you want me to see, buddy?" said Sonic, preparing himself to be confused.

"Ta-da!" said Tails, holding up a small object and beaming with pride. Sonic saw only a bundle of wires with metal bits attached.

"Er…what… what is it?"

"It's a Chaos Energy Redistribution Matrix," said Tails, rolling his eyes, "duh."

"And that does, what, exactly?" said Sonic, knowing he didn't want to hear the answer.

"Well, obviously," Tails began, eyes wide with enthusiasm, "it redistributes the negative energy of the Chaos Emeralds by flattening their unstable prions along quantum-" Nothing but white noise buzzed in Sonic's ears, punctuated by 'string' this and 'matter' that. The blue hedgehog felt his eyes beginning to glaze over, his thoughts drifting towards running in the open air, fighting Eggman, and… Shadow?

Sonic shook his head, trying to shake out the miserable black hedgehog. He didn't want the thought of him cramping his good cheer.

"-which brings the total flux into a cohesive wavelength," finished Tails. Sonic stared with a vacant expression at the young fox, who looked so pleased with himself.

"You haven't heard a word I've said have you?" said Tails. Sonic eyes darted around the room, trying to avoid the piercing blue stare of the boy.

"Of course I have, little buddy!" Sonic said smiling, ruffling his young friend's hair. "I know you love this science stuff, but perhaps you could simplify it a bit, you know, for Knuckles." Tails laughed, and a warmth filled Sonic's heart. Seeing Tails' happy reminded him of what he got out of listening to him blather on.

"Look, just take this," said Tails, thrusting a scrap of paper into Sonic's hands, "it explains it all." Sonic looked in bewilderment at the labyrinth of equations scrawled on the note. His brain started to run out of his ears, when they were interrupted by a high-pitched beeping, setting Sonic's teeth on edge.

"Oh!" said Tails, sitting upright, "that's my Anomalous Waveform Analyser! Excuse me Sonic." Tails dashed past his older friend and vanished into a pile of junk. Sonic slipped the scrawled notes into the inner lining of his glove, intent on escaping another brain-melting.

"Okay, Tails! I'm gonna get some chilli dogs, you want some?" said Sonic. But Tails, lost in the chaos of the workshop, gave no reply, and Sonic headed back inside the house laughing to himself.

~o~

* * *

Sonic observed the plate in front of him with pride. Where once a massive chilli dog dared to challenge his appetite, now only empty space remained. Sonic's mighty jaws had won the day, and he sat back in his chair cradling his satisfied belly.

A clatter from the workshop caused Sonic to sit up in his chair. The door flew open with a bang, and Tails stumbled through the doorway, panting and holding a large metal object that kept beeping.

"Sonic!" Tails gasped, "my Analyser just detected a huge spike in Chaos Energy!"

Sonic leapt to his feet in a second.

"What? Where? Do you know what's causing it?"

"Looks like the Jungle Ruin Zone," said Tails, studying the analyser, "I can't isolate the source though, the signal's too broad."

"I bet it's Eggman," said Sonic, "if there's Chaos energy involved, he's bound to be up to something." Sonic felt his fur stand on end, and couldn't help but let a mischievous grin take up residence on his face, "get the Tornado ready, Tails. It's time to fly!"

"Right away Sonic," said Tails, grinning from ear to ear.

The two boys dashed out to the shed where Sonic's plane waited. Moments later, the stillness of the morning gave way to the roaring engine of the Tornado streaking across the sky of Station Square.

~o~

* * *

Rouge entered the living room of her beach house to the contented sigh of waves breaking against the shore. The smell of fresh coffee, rich and inviting, surrounded her as she went. A shock of deep reds and purples, thick velvet curtains and gem-encrusted ornaments enveloped the room, with plump cushions taking pride of place on the enormous sofa. Setting the two cups down on the dark wood coffee table, Rouge caught sight of a cushion sitting slightly askew.

"Tsk, can't have that now can we," she said, adjusting it with the precision of a surgeon, "hey hon, you want some coffee?"

The dark figure standing by the rear sliding glass doors could have been a statue, his slender form standing in complete stillness, looking out towards the ocean. A black hole in the bright morning sunlight streaming in from across the waterfront, he gave no answer.

"What's the matter, sugar?" said Rouge, smirking "still nursing that shiner?"

Shadow the Hedgehog gave her an indignant grunt.

"I'm only teasing, Shads," she said, sipping her coffee, "you can't deny you brought this on yourself."

"Me?" said Shadow, turning to face his bat friend, his eyes sharp through the dark swelling that surrounded his left eye, "if you hadn't insisted on taking me out to _make friends,_ " he looked away, face frozen with contempt, "then this wouldn't have happened."

"Babe, if you aren't going to play nice with the other children, you'll end up losing the only friend you've got," she said, "then what will you do? Stand around brooding at the ocean all day? Not that we'd notice any difference." An empty threat, but one that needed saying. She wasn't about to ditch Shadow, they had been through too much together, but sometimes his pig-headed stubbornness drove her to say such things.

"Maybe that would be for the best," the dark hedgehog said.

"Fine, have it your way," said Rouge, slumping back into the sofa, almost disappearing into its deep cushions, "there's your coffee."

"Thanks," he said in an ungrateful monotone.

Shadow pursed his lips as he lifted the steaming cup to his mouth. The morning calm broke in an instant when he shot out a cry of pain. Rouge turned to look, thinking Shadow had scalded himself on the hot coffee, but her concern slid into panic when she saw her dark friend bent double and clutching at his head, his teeth clenched and his eyelids screwed up in anguish.

"Shadow, are you okay?" said Rouge, "what's wrong?"

Rouge yelped as her friend's coffee crashed against the floor, followed by her friend. Slamming down her own cup on the table, Rouge leapt down to where Shadow rolled across the floor, holding his head with both hands.

"Shadow?" cried Rouge, her heart pounding, "Shadow, speak to me!"

A gasp of pain, but no words.

"I'm calling an ambulance, Shadow," said Rouge, reaching for her mobile, "it's gonna be okay."

Before she could dial the number, a strong black hand gripped her wrist. Rouge dropped her phone in shock, before turning to see Shadow staring at her.

"That won't be necessary," he said in low, sharp tone. Shadow's eyes blazed crimson fire, and Rouge shrank before their ferocity. He closed his eyes, and Rouge sighed with relief to see them return to normal when they opened again.

"I'm fine," said Shadow, sitting up.

"Shadow?" said Rouge freeing herself from the vice of his grip, "what was that?"

"Chaos Energy", said the dark hedgehog, "I felt a huge spike of it somewhere nearby. I've rarely known one so strong, even when near an Emerald."

"Can you still feel it?"

"Yes," said Shadow, "but it's much weaker now, like a distant echo."

"I'm glad you're alright," said Rouge, "you scared the life out of me."

"Your concern is appreciated," said Shadow, dusting himself off. Rouge rolled her eyes at his complete obliviousness to her worry.

"I better get something to wipe up this coffee," said Rouge. She dashed into the kitchen to grab some paper towels, hoping to salvage her otherwise immaculate living room.

When she returned, she found Shadow putting on his air-skates.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to find the source of the spike," said Shadow, "something bad is about to happen near it, I can feel it."

"Whoa, hold on, sugar," said Rouge, "before you go off on some wild goose chase, why don't you speak to Tails about this? If anyone can find out what's going on, he can."

"No," said the moody hedgehog, "if Tails gets involved, then Sonic will too. I don't want him anywhere near this."

"Afraid he might give you another black eye for your collection?" said Rouge, her eyebrow raised.

"More likely he'll do something reckless," said Shadow, ignoring her jibe, "I need to do this by myself."

Before she could counter, a bright red flash engulfed the room, and Shadow vanished.

Rouge sighed as she bent down to wipe up the coffee stains. She knew it would have been pointless to argue with the stubborn hedgehog anyway.

_This grudge with Sonic will be the death of him,_ she thought.

~o~


	2. II - Into Darkness

** II – Into Darkness **

Warm damp air rose from the carpet of leaves in a fine mist, the grey clouds laying down a shroud of rain across the Jungle Ruin Zone. Through gaps in the cloud bright sunlight streamed across the forest, guiding the little plane to its destination. Diving down the shaft of golden light, Tails pulled back on the controls, bringing the Tornado level with the treetops. Balancing on the wings of the bi-plane, Sonic shook his quills out in a spray of water.

"Nice flying, Tails!" said Sonic, throwing a sly wink from the wings of the plane back at the pilot, "We getting any closer to the Chaos signal?"

"The signal's weak, but we're getting close," said Tails, glancing at the instrument in the cockpit, "Hold on Sonic, sharp turn left in 5 seconds."

The little plane dropped, tilting to the left, and Sonic slid up the length of the wing to take a firm hold of the right side. The adrenaline rush of Tails' daredevil flying coursing through him, the wind rushing through his quills, and the exotic perfume of the forest enveloping him, Sonic sported an elated grin. As the plane straightened up, Sonic saw a dark shape rising from the trees ahead.

"That must be it Tails," said Sonic, "That ziggurat up ahead!"

Tails set the tornado to circle around the stone pyramid. The structure sat in a large clearing, dominating the surrounding jungle, its steep stone steps worn and rough, covered in layers of moss. The fox brought the plane down with a bump in the clearing, nearly knocking Sonic off the wings. When the plane stopped fully the two boys leapt onto the soft grass below.

"Whoa," said Sonic, craning his neck to look at the towering monument, "That…is _big._ Bigger than it looks from the air, anyways. You think the Chaos spike is in there?"

"All my readings suggest so," said Tails, intimidated by the scale of the building ahead of him, "I wonder who built this thing?"

"Doesn't look like Eggman's handiwork," said Sonic, "his face isn't plastered all over it for a start."

"True," said Tails, "but he could have something set up inside. We need to be prepared for anything."

"Tails, buddy," said Sonic, putting an arm around his friends' shoulders, "have you forgotten who you're with? I'm always prepared for everything!"

Tails smiled a nervous smile, the yawning mouth of the temple now bearing down on him.

"I hope you're right," he said, as they crossed the threshold.

The bright sunlight of the jungle outside diminished to nothing after only a few metres, surrounding the boys in darkness. Sonic gave Tails a gentle nudge.

"Did you remember your torch?"

A single point of light pierced the absolute darkness of the temple. Sonic & Tails' footsteps resonated in the overwhelming silence of the corridor, and the desolate hall clamoured with noise. Tails shined his torch along the carvings and murals which decorated the walls and floor, jumping at the occasional stone head of a Mobian leering at him from the darkness with exaggerated features.

"S-sonic, I don't like this," said the little fox, "This doesn't look like one of Eggman's bases."

"It's alright, buddy, you'll be fine so long as you're with me," said Sonic, taking Tails by the hand. Times like this reminded Sonic that for all his technical wizardry, Tails was only a little kid who got scared sometimes. Even with his big brother instinct kicking in, Sonic found the quiet hall disconcerting. None of Eggman's trademarks like wires, control panels or cameras, and no sign of his ugly mug on every available surface. Sonic peered into the wall of darkness barely parted by Tails' tiny torch, hoping to see something, anything, which would reveal this strange temple's secrets.

"Tails, wait. Stop," said Sonic, his ears twitching.

"What is it?" Tails whispered.

"I heard something, up ahead," said Sonic, "shine your torch down the hall."

Trembling, Tails brought his torch up to his eye level and cast the light down into the darkness.

"Aah!" Tails yelped, dropping the torch and burying his face in Sonic's fur.

"Tails, what is it?" said Sonic, wrapping his arm around the little fox to comfort him.

"There's someone down there," Tails said, quivering, "I saw the light reflected in their eyes."

"Let me go first, Tails," said Sonic, "I'll handle this."

Sonic advanced towards the darkness, his hand out behind him to shield Tails, who remained rooted to the spot, watching his hero take the lead. Sonic moved forward with careful steps, preparing himself for the inevitable attack. He nearly lost his balance when the floor beneath him descended about half a foot further than he expected, making a sound of stone grinding against stone.

The temple began to shake all around them, dropping dust and masonry shards over the two boys' heads.

"Sonic, I think you triggered something!" Tails yelled, "It's a trap."

Sonic expected a giant boulder to come careening down the hall and flatten them both. He leapt into the air in surprise when a large slab came crashing down near him. Sonic ran back towards Tails, but ended up pressed against a wall now occupying the previously open corridor.

"Tails?" Sonic called towards the wall, "Tails, are you alright?"

"I'm f-fine, S-sonic," the fox's voice came back trembling through the wall, "It looks like a door's closed between us. You're trapped."

"Tails, go back the way we came in," Sonic shouted through the door," I'll look for another way out. Meet me back at the Tornado."

"O-okay, Sonic,"

"It's gonna be okay, Tails," called Sonic, "Be brave for me, little buddy."

Sonic pounded upon the heavy slab, but it didn't budge. Sonic's face grew hot with guilt. He had left his best friend alone in the dark. He turned around to see nothing but darkness ahead of him.

"How am I gonna get out of here?" he said aloud, "I can't even see in here."

"No, but I can," came a voice from the darkness.

A hand seized upon his throat, and Sonic gasped. His slender legs kicked at the air as the hand lifted him off his feet.

"I was hoping you would stay out of this, Faker, "said the voice, "This is my business alone."

"Sh-Shadow?" Sonic gasped, trying to prise the strong hand from his throat, "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"T-tails!" said Sonic, "He picked up some energy readings, Chaos energy! It led us here. But I don't care about that anymore, I just want to get back to Tails. He's all alone back there!"

"Is that so?"

Sonic struggled for breath as Shadow released his grip, dropping him to the floor.

"This is no place for a child," said Shadow, "You should not have brought him here."

"Hey, watch it," said Sonic, standing upright, "Tails can handle himself, and you know it. Plus he's the only one who properly understands Chaos energy." Sonic's defence of his friend did nothing to assuage his guilt, or dispel the image of a scared fox kit lost in the darkness.

"Not the only one," said Shadow, "I felt the Chaos spike in Station Square. I need to know what's causing it."

"I'll tell you what's causing it," said Sonic, pointing at where he assumed Shadow was, "Eggman's behind this, I can tell."

"You have any evidence of that?" Shadow said. Sonic's guilt gave way to anger, incensed by the black hedgehog's smug tone.

"Well, no. But it's got to be him!" Sonic asserted, "He's always doing stuff with Chaos energy."

"Don't be so sure of yourself, Faker," Shadow growled, "This place doesn't feel right. I don't see anything that would suggest Robotnik is involved."

"Wanna make a bet?" said Sonic, grinning. Shadow scowled at seeing that smug smile again.

"What?"

"Yeah, c'mon Shads," said the blue hedgehog, "if Eggman's behind this, you have to give me, say, 50 Rings."

Shadow remained silent for a few seconds, before Sonic felt a strong gloved hand clasp his.

"You're on, Faker," he said, shaking Sonic's hand, "50 Rings it is. Are you ready to lose?"

"You should know something, Shads," said Sonic, "I never lose!"

"Well then," said Shadow in an almost excited tone, "Let's not waste any more time, shall we?"

A rush of air flew past Sonic's head, and he found himself being pulled down the corridor at a dizzying speed by Shadow. Still unable to see anything, Sonic adjusted his legs to put himself into his usual running stance, and sped alongside his rival. Adjusting himself every time he felt Shadow lurch around a corner, he felt relieved that no-one else was around to see Shadow holding his hand like a little lost child.

"Shadow, wait!" Sonic cried. The two boys came to a skidding halt.

"What is it?"

"Back there," said Sonic, "I thought I saw a light, down a side passage."

The two hedgehogs moved back down the corridor at a slower pace for a short distance. At one point the corridor opened to the right, and Sonic saw a faint rectangle of light in the distance.

"Good spot, I suppose," Shadow said, failing to hide his displeasure at Sonic finding something he didn't. Again the boys were running side-by-side, the patch of light growing ever larger as they approached. Sonic squinted and raised his free hand to cover his eyes from the blinding light that enveloped him. When he took his hand away, he took in a short gasp.

The two hedgehogs stood in a cavernous chamber, illuminated by dozens of sconces lining the walls. Instead of torches, the sconces contained jewelled sceptres shining with rainbow light. Sonic craned his neck to gaze up at the imposing statues of Mobians, dressed in ceremonial togas and looking down at him with accusing eyes.

"Whoa," said Sonic, his voice echoing around the high ceiling, "How big is this place?"

"Sonic," said Shadow, looking straight ahead, "I think I found the source of the Chaos spike."

Sonic's head snapped down to match Shadow's eyeline. In front of them several stone steps rose up to form a dais, a single lone pedestal protruding from the central point. Above it, a gemstone hovered unsupported, its pristine edges shimmering with a deep orange hue.

A Chaos Emerald.

Stunned by seeing the beauty of the precious gem, Sonic hardly noticed Shadow still holding his hand.

~o~

* * *

"Step away from the Emerald, Sonic. You don't know what it's capable of."

"Are you kidding me, Shadow? I've been playing with these things since I was three."

Again, the arrogance that he hated. Shadow stared down his rival, who stood with hand outstretched near the spinning gemstone. The light of the Emerald, both brilliant orange and somehow dazzling blue simultaneously, mingled with the rainbow light of the jewelled sceptres, and bathed Sonic in an unnatural alien light.

"I'm warning you, Sonic," Shadow snarled, "Touch that Emerald and I _will_ hurt you."

"By smashing your other eye into my fist, I presume?" sneered Sonic.

Shadow's arm shot out faster than a bullet from a gun, striking Sonic across the face and sending him tumbling down the dais. Shadow smirked and laughed inside at the sight of the other hedgehog falling on his face. But his elation quickly broke when Sonic leapt to his feet, arms up and ready.

"You wanna dance, Shadow?" said Sonic, scissor-kicking, "Let's dance!"

"You asked for it, pretty boy!"

"Wait, what?" Sonic dropped his guard in confusion, and Shadow leapt upon him, striking him in the gut. Recovering, Sonic sent a fist towards Shadow's remaining unbruised eye, but Shadow parried his arm away with a swift movement. A blistering volley of punches and kicks flew between the two hedgehogs, each figure ducking, weaving and countering so fast they blurred into each other. Shadow saw Sonic's gaze distracted by the Emerald next to them for a nanosecond, and seized his chance. Grabbing him with both hands, Shadow lifted Sonic above his head and hurled him into the nearest wall. Sonic fell to the floor in a shower of masonry with a heavy thud.

"It's over Sonic! I am the Ultimate Lifeform, and the Emerald is mine!"

Shadow turned and ran towards the shining stone. Before he could lay a hand on it, a flash of blue shot across his eyes, and the Emerald vanished.

"And I'm the Fastest Thing Alive," Sonic called from the top of one of the stone Mobians, "or did my prettiness make you forget?" He stuck his tongue out like a petulant child, before laughing.

Sonic tossed the Emerald up and caught it with all the care of a toddler playing with a tennis ball, and Shadow seethed at his rival's recklessness. He felt his heart thundering in his chest, and a yearning to twist the irritating blue pest's head off and silence his laughter forever.

"Like I told you, Shadow," said Sonic, "I never lo-"

The chamber rang out with the deafening echoes of Sonic's scream. Shadow anger fled from his body as shock overtook him. Above him, the iridescent light of the Emerald raged around Sonic, and Shadow stood frozen to the spot at the sight of his rival's face locked in a rictus of pain.

As abruptly as it arrived, the outburst of energy ceased. Shadow watched dumbstruck as Sonic's body tumbled from the statue, then winced as it struck the floor. The Chaos Emerald followed, scattering across the floor and coming to rest at Shadow's feet.

Shadow looked from Sonic's still body to the glowing crystal at his feet. Now his anger returned. _Why couldn't Sonic leave well enough alone? I wanted to beat him, not kill him. Why did he have to be so stupid to think he could play games with the power of an Emerald?_

Shadow didn't want to look at Sonic's body, so he reached down to pick up the Emerald. _At the very least, I'll find out what this was doing here. If this was a set-up, Sonic, I'll make sure whoever's behind it pays. I promise you that, Sonic._

"Sh-shadow?" came a shattered voice.

"Sonic? You're alive?" Shadow heart tightened for a moment. Sonic looked up from the floor, and Shadow saw deep cuts across his rival's dust covered face.

"It's not – " Sonic began, trying in vain to lift his arm to point towards Shadow.

"Don't speak, Sonic, You need to keep your strength up if I'm going to get you out of this."

"-a Chaos Emerald." Sonic finished, before collapsing.

A thousand daggers cut Shadow open, and his head overflowed with the screams of a dying world. The Ultimate Lifeform felt himself slip into darkness.

~o~


	3. III - Familiar Faces

** III – Familiar Faces **

Sonic opened his eyes to the dim light surrounding him, his head pounding. He could see the vague outline of a hedgehog leaning over him, their hand on his shoulder.

"Sonic?" their voice came, but they were a thousand miles away in his head, "Dammit, Sonic, stay with me!"

Sonic opened his eyes again, squinting. The dim light around him offered little detail, but he could make out the form of Shadow standing over him, arms folded and scowling.

"You finally decided to wake up, eh Faker?"

"Shadow," said Sonic, wincing at the pain in his side as he tried to rise from the floor, "What happened? The Emerald –"

"Was a fake," the dark hedgehog said, "and booby-trapped. It got me too. Unlike you I was smart enough to be on level ground when it happened."

Sonic thought of sending a snarky remark back, but the aches he felt all over shifted his focus.

"Where are we?" said Sonic. He looked down at himself to see his body covered in bandages, "Shadow, did you patch me up?"

"No. When I awoke you were like that. Someone fixed you up, and moved us both to this antechamber."

Sonic peered around the room. They were still in the temple; he could see that from the carved stone walls, but in a smaller room than the Emerald chamber. The light glowed dimmer, a couple of crystal sceptres emitting an eerie blue light. A familiar face drifted through Sonic's mind, shocking him alert.

"Oh no," he said, his voice quavering with panic, "Tails is still out there! We need to get moving Shadow, he might be in danger."

"I don't think you'll be going anywhere, hedgehogs," a menacing voice came from across the room.

The rotund form of Dr. Eggman emerged from the shadows, a wide grin shining from beneath his enormous moustache, tinted a glowing blue by the crystal light.

"Your fox friend will be quite safe, for now."

Without saying a word Shadow charged towards the corpulent doctor. Eggman kept his grin, and didn't recoil from Shadow's ferocious surge forward. Seconds later a crackling field of blue lightning enveloped Shadow and hurled him onto his back.

"Oh please," sneered the Doctor, "You really think I would leave you in a room unsupervised, and not put in a force field? What do you take me for?"

Shadow rose to his feet, his face radiating fury at the mad scientist before him.

"Someone who's about to die," Shadow snarled, crimson light surrounding him, mingling with the blue light into an ominous purple, "CHAOS CON-"

The blue lightning struck Shadow again, this time with more ferocity, causing him to bend double. Sonic's heart leapt into his mouth as Shadow writhed in agony.

"I wouldn't try any of your Chaos tricks in here, Shadow," gloated Eggman, "this isn't just any forcefield, you know. It's a Negative Chaos Inversion Field. A masterpiece of my own design, it redirects Chaos energy back on the user tenfold."

"Why don't you just kill us and be done with it?" asked Shadow from the floor where he lay.

"Kill you?" Eggman began to laugh, "Boys, boys, I don't want to do that. Contrary to what you might think, I'm not a monster. I even patched you up, you annoying blue thing. Besides, I need you alive, you two have a starring role in my latest project."

"Whatever you've got planned, we'll stop you," Sonic protested, trying to hide his pain from his enemy.

"Oh I don't think you will, Sonic," said Eggman, a threatening tone undercutting his voice, "you see, I have some special guests I'm dying for you to meet. I'm sure you know them very well, you have so much in common." The Doctor turned towards the darkened reaches of the chamber.

"Boys, you can come on out now."

Two figures emerged from the darkness. Sonic and Shadow both rose to their feet despite their pain. The two hedgehog's mouths hung open in disbelief at who they were looking at.

Either side of Eggman stood a hedgehog. One, bright blue with dazzling green eyes, wore a self-assured smirk across his peach muzzle. The other sported black with red stripes on his upturned spines, a large tuft of white fur on his chest, and a menacing scowl.

"Gentlemen," said Eggman, kneeling down to put one hand on each of the hedgehog's shoulders, "Let me introduce – oh hold on, you know each other already don't you?"

"Impossible!" said Shadow.

"They're us?" Sonic said with confusion.

"You were right to warn us about these fake hedgehogs, Ivo," said the dark hedgehog, sizing Shadow up and down with crimson eyes, "they're nothing if not convincing."

"Who are you calling fake?" Shadow snapped back, "You're the fake around here! We're the genuine article, isn't that right, Sonic?"

Sonic pressed his face as close as he dared to the force field, and stared into the eyes of his mirror image, hoping he might blink. The blue hedgehog remained stoic, and Sonic became irritated by the arrogant smirk the other Sonic wore. _Do I really look that smug? S_ omething about those eyes made Sonic feel uneasy. He yielded the gaze and looked towards Shadow.

"Wow," said the other Sonic, "these bozos are so deluded they actually think they're real. Prower must be out of his mind, trying to trick you with these copies."

Sonic's blood boiled at the mention of his friend's name. Sonic span round to face the smug blue doppelganger, his fists clenched so tight he could feel his nails through his gloves.

"You leave him out of this!" Sonic bellowed, "I swear, if you touch one fur on his head, I'll –" Sonic stopped short of saying 'kill.' Not even his anger towards his copy or Eggman could bring him to do that. Sonic also knew a not insignificant portion of his rage turned inward for abandoning Tails to the darkness.

"Slavishly loyal to their master, as you can see," said Eggman, "it's fortunate I managed to contain them before they did any real damage."

"Let me out of this cage and you'll see how much damage I can do, Doctor," said Shadow.

"Give me five minutes in there, Ivo," said the other Shadow, "I want to take them apart, see how they work."

"No.. er, that won't be necessary, Shadow," said Eggman, gesticulating, beads of sweat running down his forehead, "I think they best be kept alive, I mean, _online_ a bit longer, so I can better… um… interrogate them for information on Prower. Yes, that's it. Why don't you two head out and start your mission?"

"As you wish," the two hedgehog copies said in unison. As they walked back towards the darkness, the two captive hedgehogs kept their eyes focused on them.

_Hey, from this angle my butt looks pretty good_ , thought Sonic, _wait, technically that's not_ my _butt, or is it? Wait, what am I doing?_

"Magnificent, aren't they?" said Eggman, bringing Sonic's focus back, "I must say I have really outdone myself this time, and that's saying something, I'm sure you'll admit."

"What are they, Robotnik?" demanded Shadow.

"Yeah, Egg-head," Sonic joined in, "tell us your evil plan already!"

"Don't tell me what to do, hedgehog," said Eggman, clearing his throat, "Ahem, I shall now reveal my evil plan in all its glory!"

Sonic threw a quizzical look at Shadow.

"I just said that," he whispered.

"You remember Metal Sonic?" Eggman continued, "and his little 'episode' he had a few years back? Well, whilst I was reprograming his AI, I found some residual data. Specifically, the data on Chaos he had copied from a chao and that frog. It took a few years of research to fill in all the gaps in the data, but I finally figured out how to make a robot take on the form of a living being, like Metal Sonic did when he impersonated me."

"They're robots?" said Sonic.

"Don't interrupt me when I'm monologuing," said Eggman, "Yes, they're robots. I created the fake Chaos Emerald, knowing full well at least one of you would show up and try to take it. When you idiots touched it, it didn't just shock you into submission, it copied your entire lifeform data; your DNA, your memories, everything. They don't just look like you; they _are_ you, right down to believing that they are the originals."

"If they're exact copies of us," said Shadow, "then why do they take orders from you?"

"I may have made some slight modifications to their memories, to make them more agreeable. This brings me to the second phase of my brilliant plan. 'Sonic' & 'Shadow' will go back to whatever boring lives you had, waiting for me to activate them. After a day or so, they will have gained the complete trust of your idiot friends. They won't come looking for you, because they'll think the real deal is right there with them."

"There's more to this than just replacing us, surely?" asked Sonic.

"Phase three, I, Dr. Eggman, will publicly announce another world-conquest plot. When 'Sonic' & 'Shadow' show up to stop me, the world will watch dumbstruck as its greatest heroes swear allegiance to me. No-one will dare resist, once they see I have the might of Sonic & Shadow at my command!" Laughing, Eggman took out a small notepad from his coat, "Let's see here, lure Sonic into trap, create evil copy of Sonic… hmm… yes… right, Looks like I covered everything. Any questions?"

"Why are you keeping us alive?" asked Shadow.

"Can we not remind the evil villain that he's forgotten to kill us?" said Sonic.

"I need you alive," said Eggman, "The copies need a reference point to stay stable, otherwise they could morph in totally unpredictable ways. Look," He said, pointing to the corner of the area that the two hedgehogs occupied, where a small metal box stood away from the wall. "I even left you a replicator so you don't starve to death. I'm nothing if not compassionate, I know"

"We will get out of here," said Shadow, glaring "and we will put a stop to this, and to you."

"You won't escape this time, fools," said Eggman, his rotund form slipping back into darkness, "it would take a genius to escape this trap, and look, the only genius in the room is leaving. Goodbye hedgehogs." The doctor's laughter echoed into the darkness, and they heard him no more.

"Damn it!" shouted Shadow, pounding his fist against the force field and not even flinching from the surge of energy. Shadow turned to face Sonic, who sported a wide grin.

"What?" asked Shadow.

"You owe me 50 rings."

~o~

* * *

PARSING…

NATURAL LIGHT LEVELS 47.5%. ADJUSTING OPTICS.

REFRESHING ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS.

10256 SEPARATE OBJECTS DETECTED. DISCARDING 10255 NON-SAPIENT.

SAPIENT LIFEFORM DETECTED. FACIAL RECOGNITION SOFTWARE ACTIVE.

LIFEFORM IDENTIFIED. ACCESSING MASTER DATABASE.

NAME: Tails.

SPECIES: Fox – abnormal mutation.

AGE: 11 years, 7 months, 3 weeks, 1 day, 13 hours, 27 minutes, 6 seconds.

ALIASES: **RESTRICTED INFORMATION**

ACTIVE STATUS: TERMINATION PROHIBITED.

LOADING RELATIONSHIP VARIABLES.

PARSING…

~o~

* * *

The clear blue of the evening sky mingled with the fiery orange of the setting sun above the Jungle Ruin Zone, and the trees cast long shadows over the Tornado, where Tails perched on the edge of the cockpit. He checked his watch, eager to escape the overgrown jungle, the depths of the forest almost as dark as the oncoming night, with the ancient temple seeming to grow larger with every passing moment. When he looked up, he saw a figure approaching from the temple, walking slowly through the long grass.

Tails heart began to race, and he leapt from his perch, landing on the soft, damp ground and sprinting towards the approaching figure. He threw his arms around them, pressing his face into their soft fur, letting the warmth of their body flow over him.

"Sonic!" he cried, eyes glistening with tears "I'm so glad you're okay. What happened to you in there?"

The blue hedgehog wrapped his slender arms around the little fox, pulling him closer and nuzzling the top of his head with his snout.

"That place was like a maze," he said, "I must have been going in circles for hours."

"Did you find the source of the Chaos spike?" asked Tails, looking into the smiling face of the hedgehog above him.

"No," said the hedgehog, "I didn't find anything, but I don't care. All that mattered to me was finding you again, to know you were alright."

"I'm glad you're back, Sonic."

"Me too, little buddy. Let's go home."

The two boys strolled back to where the plane waited, a thin peach arm pulling Tails close by the shoulder. The fox leapt into the cockpit, and the hedgehog clambered onto the wings. The engine spluttered and struggled, before roaring into life, fearful birds fleeing the trees from the monstrous clamour. The plane began to rise into the evening sky, and the blue hedgehog turned to take a final look at the temple as it fell away from him.

A black hedgehog stood by the entrance, looking up at him with crimson eyes. The blue hedgehog met his gaze, and they both smiled. The blue hedgehog calling himself Sonic gazed upon the setting sun, lost in thought.

~o~

* * *

"Sir? May I trouble you for just a moment?"

Doctor Eggman stood in a darkened room, his face illuminated by the glow of a dozen computer screens, each covered with graphs, readouts and equations. The portly doctor barely glanced at the tiny robot hovering near his feet.

"What is it, Orbot?" said Eggman, "can't you see I'm plotting world domination?"

"Forgive me Sir," said Orbot, tilting his head in fear of the doctor's wrath, "It's just, the copies you made of those hedgehogs, Sir. They seem to be, um... malfunctioning."

"What?" barked Eggman, the little robot cowering before him, "They've only been active for 5 minutes! Explain yourself immediately."

Trembling, Orbot held up a data pad crawling with numbers, shielding his face from Eggman's furious gaze.

"Some of their memories seem to be slightly corrupted," said Orbot, "I've also been examining their higher brain function readings. There seems to be a strong positive emotional response when they er... _think_ about each other. This is the complete opposite to the preliminary data we took from the originals. I hate to draw such an unscientific conclusion to this, but…

"Get to the point, you useless bucket of bolts!"

Orbot imagined his next sentence would be his last.

"I… think they might be _in love_ , Sir."

~o~


	4. IV - The Promise

** IV – The Promise **

"This is another fine mess you've got us into," said Shadow, his eyes glowing purple in the blue dim light of the chamber.

"Me? How is this my fault?" said Sonic.

"If you had listened to me, and not treated that damn emerald like a toy, we wouldn't have been caught."

Sonic's bit down on his lip, a sharp inhalation through his nose puffing out his chest.

"You're one to talk!" he said, fur standing on end, "what made you think picking it up was a good idea, after it zapped me?" Shadow looked down his nose at the accusing finger thrust into his face.

"I can handle Chaos energy better than you," he said, "I didn't think –"

"No! You didn't, did you?" Sonic barked, "why are you always trying to prove you're better than me? You would've thought the 'Ultimate Life Form' wouldn't be so insecure."

Shadow's fur now rose in time with Sonic's, and he loomed over the blue hedgehog, his haughty look paved over by one of fury.

"I don't need to prove anything to you, Faker," he said, "you can't stand the fact that there's someone around who can challenge the mighty Sonic, hero of Mobius."

Sonic rounded on Shadow, gripping him by the shoulders with such speed and force that the black hedgehog's arms were pinned to his side. Shadow seemed to deflate, recoiling from Sonic in shock.

"Dammit Shadow, I respect your abilities!" said Sonic, his eyes locked with his struggling rival "You _are_ a worthy opponent. I just want you to chill out once in a while, drop the macho posturing, so we can be –" Sonic paused, the words lodged in his throat.

"What?" said Shadow, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"-so we can be _friends_."

"I don't understand."

Sonic had never seen Shadow look so confused, as if the word _friend_ was totally alien to him. Sighing, he released his rival and turned away, running his hand through his quills.

"Think about all the times we've teamed up to save the world" said Sonic, turning back to face Shadow, "times like that, we were unstoppable together. It's such a rush to fight alongside you. I know you enjoyed it too. Don't you want to feel that way more often?"

"I was just doing what I had to," said Shadow, folding his now free arms, "your presence made no difference."

"This is what I mean!" said Sonic, "This is why I get so annoyed at you. I _want_ to like you, but you keep pushing me away. If I was stuck here with anyone else, we wouldn't even be having this conversation, we'd be working on busting out of here."

"Let's do that then, instead of wasting our breath while those duplicates of us are doing who knows what with our friends. If we're such a good team," Shadow threw up his hands like he was opening for the circus, "then let's team up."

Sonic eyed Shadow with a wry smile.

_"Our_ friends?" he asked.

"I mean, your friends, whatever."

"Okay, whatever you say, Shads. First thing I'll do when we get out of here is tell Rouge you don't consider her a friend. Right now, I'm gonna see if there's any way to shut off this force field."

"Dammit, you know that's not what I meant." Shadow pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed and sighing, "I'll see if I can do anything with that replicator. I might be able to overload it."

"Now we're cooking!" said Sonic, punching the air, "Go-oooo Team!" Sonic saw Shadow staring at him, looking like he had just eaten a bad lemon, "What?"

"Never say that again."

~o~

* * *

In the blue shroud of the chamber, Sonic paced back and forth along the forcefield, tracing a square with his footsteps as he moved between all four corners. In one corner Shadow knelt over a metal box the size of a small suitcase, surrounded by loose nuts and bolts and multi-coloured cables. Sonic held a small black smartphone in the air, squinting to read the screen.

"I'm not getting a signal," he said, "this introvert field must be jamming it."

" _Inversion Field_ ," said Shadow, rolling his eyes and not even looking up, "and it might be because we're in an underground chamber in the middle of a vast jungle miles from civilisation."

"That's just crazy talk."

Sonic stopped pacing when Shadow looked up, crimson eyes sweeping the room like searchlights, ears twitching.

"What's that noise?" said Shadow.

"I don't hear anything. Maybe you're just-"

"Shh!"

Distant, quiet, only audible to his sensitive ears, Shadow heard it. A sound of metal scraping against metal, four times in quick succession. A quiet lull, then again, four times.

"Shadow, what is it?" whispered Sonic.

Shadow strained to listen, but could hear no more. He shook his head, bringing his focus back into the cramped cell.

"I'm not sure," he said, "could be Robotnik setting up another trap."

"I gotta hand it to Eggman," said Sonic, looking the forcefield up and down, "he's been unusually thorough with this trap. I can usually bust out of these in moments." He looked over to where Shadow sat in a tangle of metal.

"Found anything?" he said.

"No," said Shadow, his hand rummaging through the metal box, "this replicator is battery powered, so there's no way to trip the mains power by overloading it. The battery doesn't hold enough charge to disrupt the force field, and I can't make anything useful from the components." Shadow looked up from his project to see Sonic standing over him, his mischievous grin glowing blue in the light of the chamber.

"What are you smirking at?" said Shadow.

"You sound just like Tails."

"Thank you for comparing me to a child," said Shadow, ending with a rasping sigh.

"No, I mean the tech stuff," said Sonic, sitting down on the side of the box opposite, "You've even got that same look that he gets when he's tinkering with something complicated."

Shadow thought Sonic's expression grew more melancholy as he spoke. The blue hedgehog looked away, closing his eyes and exhaling like a heavy weight was pressing down on his chest. In Shadow's chest a similar sensation arose, one he had only felt hours before, when Sonic was in agony from the fake emerald's assault. This time it was more intense, even though the blue hedgehog didn't appear to be in any physical pain.

"What's wrong?" said Shadow, and his ear didn't believe his mouth had just said it. Sonic slowly opened his eyes and turned to face him, his expression tired and mournful, unfazed with Shadow's uncharacteristic concern.

"I'm worried about him, Shadow," said Sonic, "That other me gave me the creeps. He could be leading Tails into a trap, or worse," Sonic leapt to his feet, "and here I am, stuck in this stupid box!" With a swift movement Sonic seized a scrap of metal lying near the box and hurled it against the force field. A crackle of blue lightning shot across the two hedgehog's eyes, and the scrap skidded across the floor in a trail of smoke. Shadow watched the blue hedgehog pacing, and couldn't help a wry open-mouth smile appearing on him. He found an angry Sonic fascinating for reasons he couldn't quite place.

"I thought you said he could handle himself," said Shadow.

"He can, for the most part, but," Sonic's melancholy had dispersed, replaced by irritation "oh man, I can't believe I'm about to tell you this, of all people."

Shadow wondered whether he should be offended, soon silently agreeing. With no way of escaping, he resigned himself to listening to Sonic talk.

"A long time ago," said Sonic, "I made a promise to myself to always keep Tails safe. I knew so long as he was by my side, he would be okay. I can't tell him where to go or what to do, but when I don't know where he is, I start to imagine the worst things happening, all because I wasn't there to save him. When he comes home and I see he's safe, I just want to throw my arms around him and tell him how much I..." Sonic hesitated, avoiding Shadow's unblinking gaze, "how much he means to me, but I know he would hate that, so I just play it cool, as always."

Shadow said nothing. Something about Sonic's voice troubled him. It didn't sound all that different, but to Shadow it seemed that his impression of Sonic was being torn from his mind. Where was the boasting, the asinine jokes, and that awful smirking? This was just honesty, as plain and simple as he had ever heard.

"Tails really means that much to you?" he said.

"Yes," said Sonic, turning to face Shadow, "he does." Shadow stared at Sonic's smile, and a switch flicked on in his mind. He understood, why Sonic's smile had always made his blood boil, why that smug smirk always sent his fist flying towards Sonic's face.

It was fake. But this time seemed different.

The mask of bravado had disappeared, and Sonic's face was bittersweet, his smile warm and welcoming, his eyes heavy with sadness, staring past Shadow. As quickly as it came, the smile vanished, and Shadow wished he taken a picture.

"Wait, Shadow," said Sonic, his hand raised, "you can't tell him any of this. It would shatter his image of me if he knew I fretted over him like this."

Shadow was lost in thought, a window in his mind opening, the light of new information flooding in. With a curt smile, he slowly nodded.

"You do it for Tails," he said to himself. Sonic's ears pricked up.

"What?"

"It's all for Tails," said Shadow, turning to face Sonic, "the arrogance, showing off, treating everything like a joke. It's all just an act. Pretending you're so cool and laid back so Tails doesn't know that you cry yourself to sleep over him." There was no anger in his voice, Shadow spoke the words with a certain glee, "you really are a faker."

"Hey, I never cried-" said Sonic, his face flush with red under his peach muzzle fur, "Well, maybe that one time... Ugh, I knew I shouldn't have confided in you. You're still trying to score points off me!"

"Not this time," said Shadow, eyes fixed on the blue hedgehog, "I know what it's like to make a promise to someone you... hold dear. I know the daily struggle of trying to keep it, always asking yourself if what you're doing is what they really wanted. And I know that no matter how hard you try, how many sacrifices you make, you'll never meet the expectations you set for yourself." Shadow saw Sonic's eyes wide and curious, and he wondered if the blue hedgehog truly comprehended his words, "What I'm trying to say Sonic, is that I understand what you're going through."

"I don't know what to say, Shadow," said Sonic, face slumped in resignation, "I guess we do have something in common, after all."

The two hedgehogs sat in silence, looking at each other over the box of scraps. Shadow noticed Sonic's unusually downturned mouth twitching in an attempt to smile. Shadow hoped Sonic would make it, so he could see that smile again, the one that proved that Sonic cared about something other than himself. But Sonic broke eye-contact, starting to fidget.

"I guess we should get back to breaking out of this cell, huh?" he said, looking everywhere except at Shadow.

"Sonic?" said Shadow.

"Yes?" Sonic turned to see Shadow smiling at him.

"It's good to finally meet you."

~o~

* * *

Sonic had no idea what time it was. After what felt like hours fruitlessly looking for a way out of their cage, Sonic had succumbed to boredom more than tiredness, and decided to get some shut-eye. Shadow had insisted that he would stay up, and Sonic didn't bother to argue.

Lying on the cold, hard stone floor of the cell, staring up into and equally cold hard stone ceiling, Sonic could find no respite. Trapped in a box with no space to run and still worried about his little fox friend, his mind moved as fast as his body desperately yearned to. With a sigh he rolled onto his side, recoiling when he saw something next to him.

In the darkness Sonic could see Shadow lying mere feet from him, facing the wall. Instinctively the blue hedgehog shifted backwards a few centimetres.

_He moves so quietly I didn't even hear him lie down,_ thought Sonic, _I didn't think he even needed sleep._ Sonic wondered why his black counterpart made him feel so uncomfortable. _Does he realise how awkward this is? Like earlier, when he held onto my hand for way too long, did he not find that weird? Maybe he doesn't, I mean he grew up on a space station for Chaos' sake; social conventions don't seem to be his thing._

_Maybe that's why we always end up fighting,_ Sonic's inner voice continued, _it's the only time I don't feel completely nervous around him, so I end up doing something to provoke him._ Sonic stared at the slender black form spread out in front of him, not even acknowledging his eyes tracing over every curve and point.

_I suppose we're friends now, weird as that seems._ Sonic couldn't believe how easily he had opened up to Shadow earlier. Something about his piercing stare had completely eroded Sonic's defences, the mask he wore so well even his best friend couldn't see through it melting before those crimson eyes. It still didn't feel right to Sonic. Him and Shadow, going on long runs together? Eating ice creams in the park and skimming stones across the lake? The thought of it made Sonic's head spin, but he couldn't deny there was a part of him that wanted it.

His inner dialogue took a back seat when Sonic thought he heard someone whispering. Shifting closer to the black hedgehog, who lay still, the only movement that of his breathing, Sonic felt his heart grow steadily faster. Trying not to let his proximity to Shadow unnerve him, Sonic listened intently. The whispering continued, and Sonic quickly realised where it came from. Sitting up on one arm, he peered over Shadow's body.

Shadow's eyes were open, staring ahead of him. In his hands outstretched in front of his face he held a rectangular locket, its metal dull and faded, the chain weaving between Shadow's fingers. Inside, a picture drained of colour held the smiling visage of a girl. A _human_ girl.

"Sh-shadow?" Sonic asked, surprised at his concern for his supposed rival, "are you okay?" Shadow snapped the locket shut, pulling it close to his chest.

"I'm fine," he said in a flat monotone.

"Were you whispering, just now?"

"No," Shadow said in the same monotone, "Go back to sleep, Faker."

That should have been the end of it. Before today, Sonic would have just called Shadow stubborn and got on with something else. But Shadow had hurt his pride, he had broken through his mask, touched the raw nerves of his emotions and in the process, Sonic had a glimpse of the friend he thought he'd never make. He wasn't about to let him put his wall of indifference back up, not after that.

"Shadow," said Sonic, placing his hand on Shadow's shoulder, "That picture, was that… Maria?"

Sonic hadn't intended to put his hand on Shadow, but couldn't seem to help himself. Nor could he help the gentle tone he took with Shadow. The black fur was soft and warm, contrary to Shadow's coarse and cold demeanour. Shadow himself didn't react at all, and Sonic wondered if this was just another one of Shadow's social quirks, or if it meant Shadow was at ease with Sonic making physical contact with him. Shadow rolled towards Sonic, and the blue hedgehog snapped his hand away.

"Yes," said Shadow, "That's Maria, before she was…" his voice trailed away, and he stared through Sonic, his eyes softened in the blue light.

"Can I see her?" asked Sonic in an almost whisper. Shadow's eyes met his, and Sonic realised he was speaking to Shadow in a way he reserved for one other only. Only when Tails was truly upset would he use that tone, the tone that was gentle, yet still had the strength to reassure. Now he was using it on someone he had once believed had no feelings at all. Shadow nodded, and held his hand out to Sonic, the tarnished metal locket hanging from the chain clutched tightly in his gloved hand. Sonic slowly gripped the locket as if it was made of the most delicate glass. Holding with both hands, he looked up at Shadow with childlike eyes, silently asking permission. Shadow nodded again, and Sonic pressed the catch open, lifting the door of the locket with his thumb.

A human girl no older than twelve smiled up at Sonic from the faded colours of the photograph. The deep blue of her eyes still persisted, her delicate features framed by long blonde hair. Sonic only had Eggman as a reference for the alien visitors to Mobius known as humans, and found their appearance bizarre, with their pinprick eyes and lack of fur. But looking at the wide eyes of the girl in front of him, Sonic thought she looked almost Mobian herself.

"I've never seen her before," said Sonic, "she's beautiful."

"Yes, she was," said Shadow, melancholy eyes fixed on the locket. Seeing the look on his face, Sonic closed the locket and held it out to him. Shadow held it up to his mouth, closing his eyes, but not tight enough to stop a single tear streaking down his muzzle, "I speak to her every night, hoping one night that I might hear her voice." He opened his eyes, "how pathetic is that?"

"It's not pathetic, Shadow," said Sonic, moving closer to the morose black hedgehog, "you lov – I mean, you cared for her deeply. If it were Tails, I would do the same thing." Sonic didn't know why he couldn't bring himself to say 'love' in front of Shadow, and he noticed earlier Shadow had avoided saying it. Plucking up his courage, Sonic put his arms around Shadow, keeping his elbows wide as if he was trying to pick up a medicine ball. He wasn't ready to get _that_ close to Shadow, not while he still had to sort out the confusion in his heart.

Shadow didn't move. From the corner of his eye Sonic saw him staring blankly ahead. Sonic felt his own body tighten up, the awkwardness of the one-sided hug creeping over him. For what seemed like an eternity the two boys sat in silence broken only by the rhythm of their breath.

"This is weird," said Shadow.

"Sorry," said Sonic, releasing Shadow from the strange pincers of his hug, "I'm not very good at this." Sonic knew this was a lie, he could give Tails a tender, comforting hug like he was the little fox's own mother. But the thought of doing that with Shadow seemed so bizarre; like going jogging with Eggman, it just didn't fit.

"We better get some sleep," Sonic said, faking a yawn with an exaggerated stretch, "got lots of escaping to do in the morning." Sonic turned onto his side, facing away from Shadow.

"Good night, Shadow."

Sonic heard Shadow slump down beside him. The feeling of awkwardness overtook him, and Sonic shifted away from him again.

"Sonic?" said Shadow.

"Yeah, Shads?"

"It was weird, but it wasn't… bad."

_I wish I knew what was going on in that head of yours, Shadow,_ thought Sonic, _then perhaps I'd be able to figure out what's going on in mine._

~o~


	5. V - Double Trouble

** V – Double Trouble **

The main plaza of Station Square teemed with life. Crowds of busy shoppers weaved across the grey cobblestones, dancing in and out of each other's strides, while teenagers draped over every wall and bench, lost in the portable world in their hands. A single aroma wafted through the sunny streets, the culmination of all the various foods being cooked or eaten around the plaza. Amidst the bustle, Tails the fox walked alongside a blue hedgehog who looked a lot like the famous Sonic.

"I still can't believe you're taking me shoe shopping," moaned Tails, "couldn't we have gone, I don't know, anywhere else?"

The Sonic imposter, the not-Sonic, smiled his mischievous smile.

"Not just any shoe shopping, buddy," he said, "it's only the Super Sneakers Super Sale! They've got 75 percent off all red and white pointy sneakers. If you spend fifty rings or more, you get a free toaster!" Tails sighed heavily, his spirit deflating before Sonic's grin.

"I know," said Tails, "that's why we have seven of them already. I used up five making the Toasterbot 9000™." Tails shuddered at the thought of one his less successful inventions. That poor bakery never stood a chance.

Turning to face his friend, Tails saw he had a black smartphone in his hands, his fingers a white blur speeding across the keypad.

"Who are you texting?" asked Tails. Ever since they had got back from Jungle Ruin Zone, Sonic's text alert had been buzzing non-stop. The previous evening, Tails had been vexed by Sonic dropping everything to grab his phone, especially when it kept interrupting their game of Super Marxio Kart. Tails had tried to find out who kept sending the texts that Sonic coyly laughed at every time they came in, but Sonic kept making jokes about it being Shadow, and Tails had got fed up and gone to bed.

"Just catching up with Shadow," said Sonic.

_Not this again,_ thought Tails, _this stopped being funny the first half a dozen times._ He considered using one of his devices to intercept the messages, but that would have to wait until they got home. Until then he would just have to be more persistent.

"Stop saying that," he said, eyes glaring, "it's not funny anymore. Tell me the truth."

"Hey, do I ask you what er... nebula you're... re-transmogrifying.. and then don't believe you when you say it's neutrinos, or something?"

"No, but only because that's complete gibberish," said Tails, failing to hide his smile at Sonic's inability to grasp anything remotely scientific. His laughter hushed when he laid eyes on a sign propped up outside a bookshop, all thought of strange text messages vanishing from his mind.

"Sonic, look!" he gasped, with a slight effeminate affectation.

The sandwich board, decorated with brightly coloured chalk, read:

'BOOK SIGNING HERE TODAY. JAMES S. S. MATTHEWS' LATEST BESTSELLER.'

"So?" said Sonic, "Is that important?" Tails stood with mouth agape at his friend's ignorance.

"It's James S. S. Matthews!" he cried. Sonic stared back with a vacant look, "author of 'A Ballad of Wind and Water?'" No response from Sonic, "they made it into that hit show 'Sport of Kings?'" Sonic held up his hands, his face screwed up as if to say _I got nothing._

_"_ You're so _lame_ , Sonic," said Tails, a warm smile spreading. To his surprise Sonic now stood with his arms folded, a stern expression on his face.

"Tails, give the geeky stuff a rest for once. We need to get moving before Super Sneakers runs out of stock." Tails only half-listened, nearing the doorway of the bookshop.

"What are you doing?" said Sonic.

"I've got to get my hands on that new book," said Tails, a wide grin on his muzzle "The author himself, a signed copy, I can't wait!"

"Tails, come back here," said Sonic, "I don't want you running off."

"I'll be fine," said Tails, ignoring his friend's strange demand, "go to the shoe shop without me. I'll meet you later"

Sonic's brow furrowed, his mouth downturned in a look of barely contained rage. His foot tapping against the hard pavement like a jackhammer.

"You coming with me, Tails," he barked, pointing to his feet "That's an order." Tails did everything he could to not burst out laughing; covering his mouth with his hand but the mirth forced its way out. The sight of the normally jovial Sonic trying to look cross and acting like a parent talking to a naughty child was too rich.

"An order?" said Tails through laughter, "Good one Sonic. Next you'll be telling me to go to my room." Tails fluttered a foot off the floor, giggling.

His laughter abruptly ceased when he felt Sonic grip his arm firmly. The sun shining behind Sonic made his face dark, his normally dazzling green eyes now blazing emerald fire, and his slender frame appearing to tower over the little fox. Confusion flooded Tails' mind when he realised Sonic wasn't joking.

" _I said,_ you're coming with me!" growled Sonic, pulling sharply on Tails' arm.

"What on Mobius is wrong with you?" wailed Tails, "Let go of me!" With a swift twisting movement in the air, Tails managed to slip his narrow arm from Sonic's grasp. Before the blue hedgehog could grab him again he sped into the bookshop, tails spinning into a blur. From the doorway he heard Sonic shouting, unconcerned by the passers-by turning to stare at him.

"Tails!" shouted the Not-Sonic, "Tails, you get back here this instant!"

~o~

* * *

Amy Rose strode through the cobbled streets of the main plaza, brimming with confidence. Looking like a commercial pack mule, her arms laden with bags from her latest shopping spree, she smiled warmly, an accompaniment to the bright sunshine. New shoes, new dress, expensive hammer polish, and her quills groomed, all before lunchtime.

A shock of blue stood out among the bustling crowds, and Amy knew only one person who could catch her eye with dazzling cobalt. She saw Sonic standing outside a bookshop with Tails, but something about the scene looked off to her. Sonic gripped onto Tails arm, wearing the foulest look she'd ever seen, and Tails' had his face screwed up like an insolent toddler. She saw Tails break free and speed into the shop, then heard Sonic shouting, unable to make out his words over the clamour of the city.

Amy knew she would have to go over and see what the fuss was about. She felt her heart beat faster with each tentative step she took towards Sonic. She had been infatuated with him since the moment she first laid eyes on him all those years ago, and used to let her precocious crush spill out in extroverted displays of affection. As she got older, her childish obsession matured into real feelings for the blue blur, and now she found his good looks and heroism intimidating. Outside she had become demure and shy, but inside her love for him twisted her up in knots harder than ever. As she neared her idol from behind, the butterflies were throwing a party in her stomach.

_Okay, Amy, don't be nervous, it's time to turn on the charm_ , she thought.

Amy jumped when emerald eyes appeared in front of her. Sonic stood looking down at her, his blue fur accentuated by the bright sun. Amy felt her knees weakening, her eyes wandering up and down the slender frame of Sonic.

_Oh Chaos, he's too handsome for words,_ the pink hedgehog thought, _just tell him you love him. Do it now._

"H-Hi S-Sonic!" she babbled through nervous laughter. _Real smooth,_ she told herself _._

To her surprise Sonic leapt upon her, sweeping her up in his arms, bags and all, squeezing her so tight she could feel the butterflies fleeing for dear life. A hot flush rose through her body, overtaking her face in a deep crimson.

"Amy!" said Sonic, beaming, "Great to see you."

Amy stood in a daze, reeling from the strength of Sonic's embrace. Her mind raced almost as fast as her beating heart. Sonic was never this friendly towards her, in fact, he had almost been almost aloof to anyone but Tails. She sighed in bliss at the thought of regular hugs from Sonic, wondering if she should pinch herself.

"Sonic?" she asked, regaining her focus, "Are you feeling okay?" Sonic grinned like a lunatic, but that seemed normal for him.

"Sure," he said, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh, okay," said Amy, looking towards the floor to avoid meeting those emerald eyes which set her heart fluttering, "It just looked like you and Tails were arguing or something." Sonic's smile disappeared.

"Oh that," he said, rolling his eyes, "He's just being a little brat, as usual." Amy's eyes now fixed on Sonic, staring in disbelief.

"What?" said Sonic.

"You called Tails a brat, that's what," said Amy, nerves quelled by her incredulousness, "I've never heard you say anything bad about Tails, ever. You know, I thought he looked upset when I saw you guys. What's going on?"

Before Sonic could answer, a cheerful chime rang out, and a black smartphone appeared in his hands faster than Amy could blink. White-gloved fingers danced across the keys in a blur, before the phone vanished fast as it had appeared.

"I hope that was an apology for Tails," asked Amy. Her love for Sonic couldn't excuse him for being mean to Tails. Sonic may have been his big brother, but the little fox kit was her friend too, and she cared for him like an older sister, despite being not much older than him herself.

"Nah," Sonic said, dismissing her, "That was Shadow."

"Oh come on!" she cried in frustration, "Now I know something's up. Who is it really?" Sonic stared back at her, eyes full of confusion.

"I told you, it's Shadow," he said, "Why does everyone find it so weird for my boyfriend to text me?"

Amy felt the word 'boyfriend' hit her square between the eyes.

"That's not funny, Sonic. Stop messing about." If this was a joke, Amy thought, it was in poor taste, even for a prankster like Sonic.

"What's wrong with you?" said Sonic, "you're as bad as Tails, pretending Shadow and I aren't together." Amy stood dumbstruck, how long was he going to keep this up?

"That's because you're not!" she said, "You two don't even like each other, you're always fighting, and you're not-"

Sonic shook his head, a stern look of disapproval facing Amy down, deflating her anger.

"You're not _gay,_ " she said, her anger at last crumbling on the last word, wanting to add _you can't be_ , but she couldn't find the strength to say it.

"Of course I am," said Sonic, looking at his phone again, "what is _with_ you guys today?"

Amy picked her jaw up off the floor. Her shock and confusion dwindled as a fire raged in her belly, her eyes burning holes into the nonchalant Sonic's fur.

"Of all the twisted pranks you've pulled, Sonic the Hedgehog," she shouted, her voice like that of a strict headmistress, "this is the worst!" She brushed past Sonic, her heavy bags sweeping him aside, "Don't speak to me again until you've learned to act your age!" Stomping across the plaza away from him, Amy peeked over her shoulder to see if Sonic was watching her leave, but her crush was engrossed by his phone, and the vast throngs of shoppers soon blocked her view.

She kept walking away until she rounded a corner, entering a quiet side street. Certain that Sonic couldn't see her anymore, Amy slumped to the kerb, letting the tears she had been holding back stream out of her. With weighted breath she said the words that she desperately needed to say.

"You can't be…"

~o~

* * *

Tails took refuge from the swelling masses crowding the bookstore in a quiet section on the third floor, where only a few students wandered about like well-educated zombies. A thick, fresh paperback rested on his knees. With all the delicate care of an archaeologist unearthing an ancient manuscript, he lifted the front cover. A black scrawl, twisting and flexible, covered the first page, and Tails eyes scrutinised the author's signature like a fine work of art, the fox afraid to touch the paper lest he ruin the beauty of it. A shadow falling across him cut his appreciation short. Looking up, Tails saw Sonic standing over him. Tails closed the book gently and stood up to greet what he thought was his friend.

"Hi, Sonic," said Tails, smiling and hoping the ugly business that happened outside was forgotten. The look on Sonic's face suggested to Tails that it wasn't. A hybrid of anger and sorrow, Sonic looked like he had eaten something sour, his eyes staring past Tails, deep breaths ringing through his nostrils.

"Everything okay?" asked Tails. Sonic looked straight at him, his expression now fierce and penetrating.

"I told you to stay with me," said Sonic, his voice low and completely free of any warmth, "You disobeyed me." Tails took a step back, his nerves tingling.

"I… disobeyed you?" he asked, unsure if his ears were working properly, "what are you talking about?"

"You don't leave my sight from now on, is that understood?" Tails didn't feel like laughing at Sonic's disciplinary tone this time, instead he felt his fur stand on end, his face engulfed by blazing heat. Why was Sonic acting like this? He had always let Tails do what he felt like. He was his brother, not his father.

"You're not my dad, Sonic!" he snapped, "I don't know what's got into you, but you can't just order me about. I do what I want! You can just get lost!"

Tails didn't even see Sonic move, instead his world turned black as he felt the weight of Sonic's fist impact into his right cheek, pain shooting through his head as it twisted to one side from the force. Trying to open his eyes he saw the room spinning in nauseating colours, and the floor leaping up to meet him. Holding his cheek he looked up at the hedgehog standing over him, cast in shadow, green eyes blazing with fury.

"You… You hit me!" cried Tails. His chest heaved, struggling to contain short tight breaths, while his eyes began to moisten. The pain didn't bother him, he had suffered worse fighting Eggman, but the disbelief at who had caused it, the betrayal now constricting his heart, broke him. Closing his eyes, tears forcing their way out regardless, Tails bawled, his childish wail resonating throughout the whole floor.

Trying to rub his eyes free of the tears, Tails couldn't see Sonic in front of him. He felt two soft arms wrap around his shoulders, and realised Sonic was hugging him. Tails felt like he should have recoiled, after all Sonic had just backhanded him, but Sonic always comforted him when he was upset, and that familiar embrace made Tails feel strangely safe and warm.

"I'm s-sorry, little buddy," Sonic's voice came trembling in Tails' ear, and Tails could see large tears streaming down his friend's cheeks, "I didn't mean to do that. You just got me so worried about you that I… lost control."

"Why?" said Tails, sniffling, "nothing would have happened to me."

"Y-you could have been k-kidnapped," Sonic stammered, "or gotten lost and badly hurt yourself, and I might've never seen you again and… and it would've have been all my fault! I could never forgive myself!"

Tails didn't understand why his friend, the epitome of laid back, now blubbered inelegantly with worry about him wandering off in a bookshop, for Chaos' sake. He knew he should've been angry, that he should've hit Sonic right back, but the sight of his best friend crying melted Tails' defences.

_Maybe I was inconsiderate,_ thought Tails, _I must have screwed up badly, I've never seen him so upset. I shouldn't have been such a brat._

"Sonic, buddy?" said Tails, Sonic met his gaze, emerald eyes glistening, "I won't ever leave you."

"Is that a promise?" asked Sonic, smiling through the tears.

"I promise," said Tails, trying not to think about the absurdity of his situation. He was making Sonic feel better, after the latter had just punched him in the face. But somehow, to Tails it felt like the right thing to do, confirmed by the warm feeling rising in him when Sonic smiled.

"How about we get some ice cream?" said Sonic, gently touching Tails bruised cheek, "my treat, as an apology."

"Okay, Sonic," said Tails, rising to his feet, "and then we'll go to Super Sneakers. Together."

Tails took a firm hold of Sonic's hand, and lifted the blue hedgehog to his feet. Taking his book under his other arm, Tails walked hand-in-hand with someone who looked like Sonic, but to Tails began to feel like a different person entirely.

~o~

* * *

"This is ridiculous!" said Eggman, "These stupid robots aren't even trying to stay in character. Even Sonic's moronic friends will realise something's up if this carries on."

The Doctor sat slumped in a leather wingback chair that threatened to engulf him, his eyes scanning the bank of screens set into the wall ahead. The leather rattled under the rapid drumming of his fingers, and he huffed like a sulking child denied his candy. Today had not been good for him; first his copies of Sonic & Shadow, magnificent otherwise, turned out to be lovers, (he still couldn't wrap his head around how that had happened), and now they weren't even playing their parts properly. Behind Eggman, skirting the edge of his vision, Orbot and Cubot anxiously wrung their hands.

"But Boss?" said Cubot, "I thought you wanted the fox boy to get hurt."

"Of course I do, you glorified trash-compactor!" Eggman snapped, sending Cubot running for cover behind his sphere-headed companion, "amusing as it was to see that smug little twerp get slapped around, I know Sonic just wouldn't do that to him. Not to mention the way the robots keep texting each other like teenagers. They'll give the whole game away."

"But they're supposed to be teenagers," said Cubot, peeking out from behind Orbot. The block-headed robot ducked to avoid a spanner hurtling towards him.

"If I may interject, Sir," said Orbot, "It's actually not that strange for Sonic, I mean, the copy of Sonic to er... _act out_ in this manner."

"What are you blathering about?"

"I've been studying the simulation models we created of Sonic & Shadow's memories and personalities prior to constructing the copies," said Orbot. The robot inserted a data stick into the console below the screens, flooding them with numbers and reports, "As you can see, it seems Sonic acts almost entirely on impulse."

"Everyone knows that," said Eggman, barely reading the sprawl of data, "that's why it's so easy to lure him into a trap. If I want someone to tell me the obvious, I've got Cubot for that!"

"Yes, quite," said Orbot, "but Sonic, the real Sonic, holds himself back when he feels his impulses might hurt his friends, accidentally or otherwise."

"How _touching_ ," said Eggman, drumming his fingers faster in irritation, "but why doesn't my copy do that? He has the same brainwaves as Sonic!"

"You… you deleted his inhibitions as part of your 'improvement' program. I believe you claimed it would make him a better henchman if your world-domination plot succeeds."

"What do you mean, _if_?"

"Of course, I meant _when,_ Sir. No-one doubts it will succeed."

"Wait a minute," said Eggman, sitting up in his chair, ignoring Orbot's attempt at sycophancy, "you mean the real Sonic actually _wants_ to beat Tails up, but stops himself?"

"Not exactly, Sir. Like most Mobians he sometimes gets angry or over-emotional, but unlike most Mobians, he has to try harder to stop himself turning his thoughts into actions. Your copy, otherwise flawless of course, has no such qualms, as you er… removed them." Eggman sighed, sliding back into the comforting embrace of the chair.

"Who would have thought creating a sophisticated AI designed to perfectly mimic a living being would be so complicated?" Eggman removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose and trying to squeeze the irritation out, "what about Shadow? He doesn't seem affected by his inhibitions being removed."

"That's because he didn't have any in the first place, Sir."

~o~


	6. VI - Secrets, Science & Suspicion

**VI – Secrets, Science & Suspicion**

Rouge stood in the doorway of her beach house, frozen with horror. She blinked over and over, hoping that each time her eyes opened she would see her living room as she left it, spotlessly clean and immaculately appointed. But each blink only briefly concealed the truth; the room was a shambles, cushions and covers scattered and skewed across the floor, loose papers forming a second carpet, while every item of furniture and ornament stood at odd angles like they'd been forcefully shoved aside. Rouge shook her head briskly, trying to regain what was left of her composure.

Stepping into the scene of what she assumed was a burglary, her ears stood to attention when she heard a muffled thud from behind the askew sofa. Her fur rose in time with her fear.

_They're still here,_ she thought, her fear diluting as her anger rose, _your mistake, buster. I'll show you what happens when you try to steal from the world's greatest thief!_

With a swift leap Rouge soared through the air, cartwheeling unsupported over the sofa's huge bulk. Landing like a ballet dancer finishing her routine, she thrust her leg out, driving the thick heel of her shoe into the figure crouching close behind the sofa. The figure leapt to his feet, clutching his face and staggering backwards. As Rouge readied herself to lay into the recoiling thief, she saw it was a black hedgehog.

A black hedgehog with red stripes.

"Aargh!" moaned the fake Shadow, rubbing his forehead, "what did you do that for, you crazy bitch?"

"Shadow?" said Rouge, stunned, "You idiot, I thought you were a burglar! Why were you skulking around down there? More importantly, what on Mobius have you done to my house!?"

"I've lost something," said Shadow, "I was looking for it." Rouge considered giving Shadow another hard kick for offering up such a pathetic excuse, but she knew attacking him now, without the element of surprise, would end badly for her. Instead she opted to deploy the fiercest scowl she could manage, hoping to make Shadow realise the severity of his actions.

"And you felt you needed to destroy my house for it?" she snapped, "unless it was the Lost Treasure of the Echidnas, you've got some explaining to do!" Shadow didn't flinch from her tirade, but continued to stare at her, his face not revealing the slightest hint of any emotion, "Well, what was it then?"

"My locket," said Shadow. Rouge knew at once the one he meant. An old rectangular locket, tarnished and worn, with a picture of Maria inside. Shadow had never actually shown it to Rouge, but the bat had caught him looking at it more than a few times, always snapping it shut when he noticed Rouge's presence. Taken aback by his willingness to discuss it with her now, she hesitated in replying.

"I don't understand!" Shadow said before Rouge could comment, "I keep it on me at all times. How could I have lost it?" Shadow's voice quavered, becoming more anguished as he spoke, "I _need_ it, Rouge, It's the only piece of her I have left."

Rouge's heart sank to see her companion lose his composure. Shadow only ever showed emotion towards the long-dead Maria. But when it happened, it almost made up for his stubborn indifference the rest of the time. To Rouge, it almost made up for him laying waste to her house. _Almost._

"Shadow, honey" she said, sighing, "I'm sorry for yelling at you, and for kicking you as well. I understand this is important to you."

"You don't understand anything, Rouge," said Shadow, rounding on her, "It's just a piece of jewellery to you, but to me it's everything." Shadow's head twitched as if he had perceived something previously hidden, and to Rouge's shock Shadow leapt forward, seizing her wrists with a firm grip, his face filled with anger.

"It's just another piece of jewellery to you, isn't it?" he barked, "You stole it, didn't you, you conniving thief!" Rouge's sympathy for Shadow drained out of her, and now she felt her anger returning.

"How dare you suggest I would do such a thing, Shadow!" she said, letting her anger push her fear of Shadow to one side, "I know how much that locket means to you, even if you never bothered to tell me that before today. But really, why should you have? I'm _only_ your closest friend after all." Shadow stared into her eyes, which Rouge kept locked on his. She wasn't going to blink, not after he had insulted her integrity like that. Shadow looked away, releasing his crushing grip from her arms, and Rouge breathed a sigh of relief.

"You're right," said Shadow, "You're only interested in shining gems. A worn-out old trinket wouldn't appeal to a magpie like you."

_I'm so sorry, Rouge. I know you would never sink so low as to steal a friend's precious memento._ Rouge acted out in her head what Shadow should have said. But then, that was typical of Shadow; why express any emotion when brutal logic will do? Rouge couldn't help but smile, despite her anger. She needed someone like Shadow around, they all did. Someone who could cut through the crap and see things clearly when the pressure was on.

"Yeah, that's it," Rouge lied, "I'll help you look for it, but you're gonna put this house back exactly as it was when we're done, mister."

"Sure, whatever," said Shadow, his head turning back and forth, eyes scanning all over, "I'm going to check upstairs in your room again." The black hedgehog dashed up the staircase, rapidly ascending with footsteps so heavy that each step groaned underneath them.

"What do you mean, _again_?" shouted Rouge as Shadow disappeared from view, "you've trashed my room as well?"

Rouge shook her head, exhaling with a rasping sigh. Shifting her weight, she felt something next to her foot. Looking down, she saw a small black object poking out from underneath the sofa. Squatting, she carefully gripped the black rectangle by the very top edge, trying to avoid getting any dust from the floor on her fingers. Bringing it up to her face, she could see now the smartphone she held in her hands.

_This looks like Shadow's,_ she thought. Rouge considered calling for her friend, but the sound of furniture scraping across the floor upstairs and Shadow's muffled cursing made her reconsider. She decided to set it down on the dresser where Shadow couldn't miss it. She stayed her hand when she felt the phone vibrating briefly. Bringing the phone back up to her face, she saw the little LED on the top blinking.

_Shadow's got a text? From who? I'm the only person who ever contacts him._ Rouge took another look at her devastated home; _you brought this on yourself, Shads. I wouldn't go through someone's personal messages normally._

She swiped her finger up, bringing the phone's screen to life. The lock screen proved no challenge for her, she had seen Shadow enter his password before, and her espionage training meant she couldn't help but memorise the number. Navigating to his message inbox, Rouge chuckled to herself.

_Now then, let's see who's been texting Mr. Miserable._ Her amusement turned to confusion when she saw the name written on the screen.

"Sonic?" she said aloud, quickly covering her mouth and hoping Shadow hadn't heard her. Sonic was the last name she'd expected to see. She didn't think they even had each other's number, why would they? Intrigued, she opened the message. Reading through quickly, she paused, thinking her eyes were playing tricks on her, before reading again carefully.

_Heya Shadsy,_ it read, _u good? :D cant stop thinkin bout u :'(. did u like the piccies I sent? u gonna send me sum of u 2? I wanna c more of u sexy thing ;) text back soon wuv sonic xxxxxxxxxxx_

Rouge stomach did a triple somersault. Sonic's murder of the common tongue notwithstanding, this wasn't a smart move. Shadow would tear Sonic in two when he saw the message, what on Mobius did Sonic think he was playing at? Rouge's finger hovered over the delete button (she would admonish Blue in private for his idiotic prank when she next saw him), when she noticed more texts waiting just off screen. Scrolling through the conversation, she discovered message after message from Sonic, all overly cutesy and affectionate towards Shadow. To her greater surprise, Shadow had actually replied to these. His words were much more articulate than Sonic's, and somewhat cold by comparison.

_Looking forward to seeing you later,_ read one. _I enjoy every moment we spend together,_ read another. Not exactly Wordsworth, but for Shadow it was the equivalent of a declaration of undying love.

Rouge was now holding the phone with both hands, arching over it like a Gaian priest studying a holy manuscript. She felt the need to keep reading the messages, watching the electronic love affair play out before her eyes. Sonic's crude love notes and Shadow's brief but upbeat replies bounced back and forth endlessly, but the words themselves didn't matter to Rouge. What they represented confirmed the bat's long-held suspicion.

_I knew it,_ she thought, wearing a mischievous smile, _all the animosity between those two. They were just pulling each other's fur to get the other's attention. Looks like things have taken a turn for the romantic._ Rouge laughed to her herself as she idly scrolled back to the most recent message. She had just stumbled upon the juiciest gossip she'd ever seen, and her mind raced with thoughts of how it could best be put to use, _One thing's for sure, Shadow better fall in line if he doesn't want this getting out._

She prepared to put the phone down, stopping herself when she noticed a little paperclip symbol on the second-most recent message.

_This must be those pictures Sonic was talking about. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take a look._

She knew full well what the picture would show, but her fascination with this turn of events drove her on regardless. The photograph filled the screen, and Rouge had to stop herself gasping, covering her mouth again. She felt a small blush fill her cheeks, and a broad smile spread across her muzzle.

"Not bad, Blue," she said aloud, unable to contain herself, "I didn't think you had it in you."

~o~

* * *

Many miles away, in the darkened recesses of an ancient stone temple, the real Shadow the Hedgehog sat cross-legged, staring into the darkness in quiet contemplation. On the floor in front of him, Sonic the Hedgehog performed squat thrusts, his legs forming an indistinct blur.

" _There must be some kinda way outta here, said the joker to the thief…"_

Shadow's ears flattened at the sound of Sonic's singing. The blue hedgehog's flat, tuneless and off-rhythm murmur set Shadow's teeth on edge. He turned to glare at Sonic, who had switched to slower push-ups, still droning on.

"Will you cut that out?" said Shadow, "your singing is dreadful. I feel like my skin's peeling just listening to it." Sonic rolled onto his back to face Shadow, combining the conversation with sit ups.

"Aww, Shads," he said, face drooping in obviously contrived sadness, "that's mean. Friends are supposed to be nice to each other."

"It's not mean or nice. It's just fact. And I don't know if we're _friends,_ Sonic, we just understand one another a little bit more."

"Well, I have noticed you've stopped calling me Faker all the time, before long you'll be asking me to marry you." Sonic's face immediately flushed red, and Shadow almost laughed at Sonic's panic stricken look, which screamed ' _why did I say that!?'_ "Ahem, I mean…"

Ever since Shadow had seen through Sonic's façade, the blue hedgehog had become increasingly nervous around him. There were still the attempts to play it cool, to pass off everything as a joke, but Shadow only had to stare intently at Sonic to make the other avoid his gaze, get flustered or blurt out something unintentionally. He wasn't sure why Sonic was acting this way, but it didn't matter. Seeing his rival ( _former rival,_ he supposed), squirm brought a smile to Shadow's face like few things could.

"I suppose you have the voice of an angel, then," said Sonic, clearly trying to steer the conversation away from anything awkward.

"I wouldn't know," said Shadow. He had never seen the point of singing, but nonetheless he still had an in-built sense of timing and tune. Enough to know when someone else didn't, at least. He supposed the Professor had thought it would come in handy someday.

"Come on, Shads, give us a tune."

"No."

"Not even a little song?" Shadow paused for a moment, as if he was seriously considering it.

"No."

"You're no fun," said Sonic, hugging his knees. The blue hedgehog let out an exaggerated huff before flopping flat on his back, arms outstretched, "I'm borrrrrred," he whined, "I'd rather be in a deathtrap than in this dumbass cell. At least that would give me something to do."

"Why don't you get another chilli dog from the replicator?" Shadow motioned toward the rectangular metal box, which he had reassembled the previous night, "at least that'll stop you talking."

"I'm not eating another one of those things," said Sonic, grimacing, "Eggman's synthesised meats are a whole new level of evil." Sitting up, Sonic stuck out his tongue in disgust, "Ack! Thanks for reminding me, Shads, I can still taste those darn things." Shadow saw Sonic reach into the inner lining of his glove.

"Wonder if I've got any gum in here?" Sonic muttered. After a brief fumble, he held aloft the half-empty packet like a trophy, "aha, gotcha!" Eagerly unwrapping the paper, he tossed two white tablets into his grinning mouth. Shadow's eyes were caught by something else moving near Sonic.

"What was that, Sonic?"

"What was what?" Sonic said, wet lips smacking.

"Something just fell out of your glove," said Shadow, pointing to near where Sonic sat. Sonic reached down to pick the something up, and Shadow saw him holding a crumpled piece of paper.

"Oh, this," said Sonic, "Tails gave this to me yesterday, it's the plans for a Chaos Energy… er… re-something mattress, I don't know. He probably only gave it to me to make me feel stupid."

Resisting the urge to tell Sonic he _was_ stupid, Shadow rose to his feet, his curiosity rising.

"Let me see that," he said, hand outstretched.

"Knock yourself out," said Sonic, handing the paper over, before slumping back to his prone position on the floor. Shadow eyes scanned over the scrawl of equations cluttering up the page, and slowly he could feel his own mind absorbing the information. Shadow could feel his mouth hanging open in wonder, when he noticed Sonic staring at him. A rush of irritation shot into him.

"Damn it, Sonic!" he barked, thrusting the paper towards Sonic "you had this on you the whole time? Don't you know what this is?" Sonic stared blankly as if a pair of headlights were bearing down on him.

"Your fox friend is a genius, you know that?" said Shadow, a warm feeling rising when he noticed Sonic's real smile at the praise for Tails, "A working Chaos Energy Redistribution Matrix, I didn't think they were even possible."

Shadow realised he was becoming elated, losing his cold composure in front of Sonic. But he couldn't stop himself from smiling at his discovery.

"Shadow, you're…" said Sonic with trepidation, "smiling. I mean, like you're happy or something. You're creeping me out."

"Sonic, if you understood any of this, you'd be smiling too." Shadow continued to grin as he ran his index finger across the hastily-written numbers on the page, "he's solved the Rothberg Indecision Principle! Incredible!"

"Wow! I don't know what that means!" shouted Sonic, leaping to his feet and throwing his hands up, "how does this help us?"

"It means, moron," said Shadow, enjoying Sonic's petulant scowl towards his insult, "that we can finally get out of here."

"But we don't have anything to build that with."

"Don't we?" said Shadow, stepping to one side to let Sonic see the replicator box behind him.

"I thought you said you couldn't use that for anything," said Sonic.

"That was because I didn't have any instructions," Shadow said, waving the scrap of paper in Sonic's face, "it'll be a crude imitation, but it should work if I get it right." Sonic grinned eagerly, and Shadow knew the blue hedgehog had finally caught up. Shadow wondered how someone whose body moved so fast could be so slow in the mind. _It's cute, in a naïve sort of way,_ Shadow thought as he stared into the wide curious eyes of Sonic.

"Get to it Shadow!" said Sonic, pointing forward like a general commanding his troops, "we need to bust out of here and go get some _real_ chilli dogs!"

Shadow raised a questioning eyebrow.

"And defeat those copies of us and save the world from Eggman," said Sonic, deflated, "I was getting to that."

Shadow rolled his eyes, kneeling down over the replicator to begin his project. An intrusive thought briefly brushed aside his consideration of scientific formula.

_Did I just think of Sonic as 'cute?'_

~o~

* * *

The golden light of the afternoon filled Tails' workshop, transforming it into an oil painting despite the ever-present clutter, and the sound of the city's traffic, roaring and wooshing from the centre of town, was softened almost into melody by the distance. The workshop sat in almost complete silence, save for the rapid clatter of a computer keyboard. Tails sat on a high stool, facing the large screen mounted on the wall by a stiff metal bracket, which swarmed with computer code.

Tails felt the pinch of guilt on the back of his neck, yet pressed on with inputting figures. He hadn't wanted to spy on Sonic, but the incident earlier that day had lit a fire under the little fox. He thought if he could find out who Sonic had really been texting, it might go some way to explaining his friend's erratic behaviour. Pausing for a moment, Tails brushed his hand against his right cheek, flinching a little when the tender spot ached.

_I still can't believe he hit me._ In all the time they had been friends and adoptive brothers, Sonic had never lifted a finger against him. Tails recalled the many times, more than he could count, that Sonic had become enraged when someone threatened his best friend; the idea of Sonic inflicting pain on him seemed completely impossible. Tails' current theory was that Eggman had brainwashed his friend, and the texts were some form of trigger to make Sonic obey him. A niggling doubt crept into Tails mind when he considered this hypothesis.

_If that's true, Eggman hasn't achieved much. A little slap for me, then making Sonic cry about it? Hardly terror-inspiring._ Tails heart sank a little when he reminded himself of Sonic's tears, and he wondered why he felt so bad about it. Why it made him feel like the guilty party, that he was to blame for Sonic lashing out like that.

_I didn't do anything wrong,_ he told himself, doing little to ease his guilt, _and I'm still not. I'm doing this for Sonic, to save him from whatever's going on._

A high-pitched whine set Tails teeth on edge. On the desk next to him, his Anomalous Waveform Analyser screeched from within its metal frame. Tails picked it up, and saw the screen flashing frantically with red text.

"Error 274?" he said aloud, "what does that even mean?" With a swift whack from Tails the grating noise ceased, and the error message vanished. Tossing it back on the desk, Tails turned to face the large computer screen again, grinning when he saw the words 'SIGNAL INTERCEPT SUCCESSFUL' appear in large yellow letters.

_At last. Now to find out what Sonic's been up to._

White gloved fingers moved elegantly across the keys, from their movements alone Tails could have been mistaken for a pianist. The screen sprung to life, displaying the text messages the computer had stolen from Sonic's phone. Tails studied each line carefully, like it was a scientific paper. It didn't take long before he reached his conclusion.

_It really was Shadow,_ thought Tails, astonished, _it looks like him and Sonic are going out with each other._ Tails pondered this for a moment, the cogs of his mind rapidly whirring. The idea of Sonic dating a boy didn't bother him; as far as he was concerned, dating and kissing and all that was gross, regardless of who was involved. He was more surprised at the idea of Sonic dating _anyone;_ his friend had always said he had no time for stuff like that. A far more troubling thought now crossed Tails' mind.

_Why Shadow? I thought they hated each other. It must be a trick by Eggman, but for what purpose?_ Tails continued to scroll through the messages, hoping to find some clue to help him answer his questions. He noticed some of the messages had attachments waiting to be opened. Curious, Tails opened one up.

And immediately wished he hadn't.

"Ew, gross!" Tails exclaimed. The image filled his entire screen, but Tails couldn't look away, his sense of bewilderment overriding his disgust. Why did Sonic take a picture of himself doing… that? Why was he even doing that at all? Tails' mind, distracted by these questions, hardly noticed the rapid beeping his analyser had started making.

Nor did he notice Sonic's doppelganger standing right behind him.

"Tails, what on Mobius are you doing?!" shouted Sonic. Tails span around on his stool, his face burning with heat, to see Sonic standing staring at the screen, mouth agape.

"It… It's not what it looks like!" cried Tails. Sonic's gaze fell upon him, and Tails recoiled at the ferocious look emanating from his friend's eyes. The analyser's beeping became more intense as Sonic approached.

"You've been going through my personal messages, you little shit!"

"Sonic, please don't freak out. You've been under a lot of stress lately…" said Tails. Sonic stood over him, casting a dark shadow over Tails, who could feel Sonic's hot breath, like that of a snorting bull, flowing over him.

"Oh I'm sorry, Tails. I didn't know I was _stressed_." Tails tried to get a glimpse of his analyser out of the corner of his eye, not wanting to turn around while Sonic stood so close to him, "maybe it's because my so-called best friend implies I'm a liar, behaves like a spoiled brat in public, and then spies on me in my own home!"

Tails' fingers crept towards the analyser, the beeping of which became ever more alarming. Before he could get a hold of it, he noticed Sonic's eyes fix on it. With devastating speed Sonic seized the screaming device, threw it to the floor and stamped on it repeatedly. The shards flew out like shrapnel, disappearing into the disarray of the workshop, while the beeping was reduced to a rapidly slowing whimper. Tails heart pounded in fear of Sonic's wrath, and he could see Sonic's eyes were tightly closed, hearing his breathing becoming more laboured. When Sonic opened his eyes, Tails saw they were glistening with moisture in the golden light.

"I'm sorry, Tails," he said, his anger dissipated, replaced by a cold monotone, "I'm going to have to teach you a lesson." Tails felt his panic rising, throwing his hands up in surrender, tears already streaming down his cheeks.

"S-sonic, calm down. We can t-talk about this. I won't do it again, I promise."

"No," said Sonic, cracking his knuckles, "you won't."

The last thing Tails remembered seeing was Sonic's fist rushing towards his face.

~o~


	7. VII - Safe From Harm

**VII: Safe From Harm**

Sonic paced back and forth incessantly, swinging his arms, humming tunelessly and clicking his fingers. Shadow felt his eyelid twitching in annoyance, the blue hedgehog's constant fidgeting distracting him from the intricate device in his hands. No matter how many times he had asked, politely at that, Sonic would not remain still for any length of time.

"Are you done with that thing yet?" asked Sonic.

The thing in question, the Chaos Energy Redistribution Matrix, was a poor imitation of Tails' design. The body, dull and grey metal, looked like a military belt buckle with built-in air vents. From each side a rainbow tangle of wires hung down limply, wrapping themselves around something resembling a sink plug. Shadow had removed his glove to tighten the screws with his nails, laughing to himself when Sonic had blushed at the sight of his bare hand.

"Have a little patience," said Shadow, knowing full well Sonic had none to speak of, "I'm working on a shoestring here."

"Is it even gonna work? It looks a mess."

"It's tentative," said Shadow, examining the underside of the assembly, "a lot of these components are stand-ins for Tails' recommendations, plus the flow capacitor is damaged. If this even turns on I'll be amazed."

"How'd that thingy get damaged?" said Sonic. Shadow looked up to glare at him.

"You threw it against the forcefield, remember?" he said. Sonic averted his gaze, shrinking sheepishly away from Shadow.

"Oh yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his head, "sorry about that." Shadow looked back to the component, adjusting the connecting wires.

"You should learn to control your anger, Sonic. You've let it get the better of you a few times recently." Silence descended upon the chamber, and Shadow realised Sonic had stopped moving. He looked up to see Sonic looking at him with an indignant expression, hands firmly on his hips.

"What is it now?" Shadow groaned.

"You're calling _me_ angry?" said Sonic, "maybe you should look in a mirror, buddy. You're always losing your temper." Shadow shook his head, sighing.

"What I do is channel my rage into power during a fight. You just lash out blindly, because you have no self-control."

"I have more self-control than you realise," said Sonic, leaving Shadow wondering exactly what he meant by that, "right now I'm resisting the urge to punch you in the face." Sonic's brash attitude posed no problem for Shadow, who knew exactly how to disarm it. He fixed his eyes on Sonic's and stared intently, keeping a neutral expression on his face. Sonic's face quickly became apprehensive, and he looked away.

_That never gets old,_ Shadow thought, though he wished he knew the reason it was so effective. Their brief bickering over, Shadow turned his attention back to the Redistribution Matrix.

"I think the device is about ready," he said, motioning to the lump of metal, "it's time to break out of this damned box." Standing up, he brushed past Sonic, who reached a hand out to him as he passed, before retracting it cautiously. Shadow kneeled down in the centre of the cell, placing the body of the device on the floor, spreading the 'arms' of the thing out around it. Small green lights on the top began to blink slowly.

"What happens now?" asked Sonic, staring at the curious device.

"I'm going to try Chaos Control again," said Shadow, "In theory, when the forcefield tries to reflect the Chaos energy back on me, it should be redirected to the device."

"Is it gonna be safe for me in here when that happens?"

"I would keep your distance, just to be sure," said Shadow, noticing Sonic's uneasy look. Shadow knew the device was a shoddy knockoff; he wasn't certain the twisted mass of electronics wouldn't just explode, but he felt they had no other choice. Concealing his doubt in the face of necessity he strode confidently over to Sonic and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. Sonic looked up, seemingly reassured by Shadow's touch.

"Are you ready?" asked Shadow. Sonic nodded rapidly.

"I'm always ready!" he said, grinning, "let's do this!"

Shadow stepped back from Sonic, who leapt into the corner away from the device. The blue light slowly eased into purple as crimson energy swirled around Shadow. Feeling the energy surge through him, Shadow took one last look at Sonic, who gave him a confident thumbs-up.

"CHAOS CONTROL!" shouted Shadow, and crimson light enveloped him completely. In seconds it vanished from his vision, and he felt chaos energy falling away from him. Before he could get his bearings, a loud crack rang out, followed by an agonised yelp. Spinning around, he could see he had made it to the other side of the forcefield, but Sonic remained trapped, and Shadow's doubts about his plan became manifest.

The corner of the room he had just teleported from had become a spider's web of cobalt lightning. A deafening buzz filled the chamber, the grating monotony of it forcing its way into Shadow's sensitive ears. Like a firework the Redistribution Matrix sprayed golden sparks across the cell. Sonic was on all fours, arcs of blue energy glancing off his body, and through the din Shadow could hear his anguished groaning.

"Shadow!" he cried, reaching out with his hand, "Help… me!"

Sonic's plea, almost inaudible over the crackling cacophony, sent a wave of fear rushing through Shadow's body. In that moment, he convinced himself that Sonic was about to die, and that he had been the one to cause it with his poor workmanship. His heart thundered in his ears, almost drowning out the drone of the forcefield.

"Hold on, Sonic!" he yelled, panic permeating his voice, "I'll save you!"

He rushed over to the wall near the forcefield, where a metal panel sat in place of one of the carved stone bricks. Seizing it with one hand, he tore the metal sheet from its fixings and hurled it across the chamber. Before him a deep cavity sat in the wall, filled with thick cables and flashing circuit boards. Throwing caution to the wind, he thrust his hand into the cavity, took a firm hold on a bundle of cables, and began to pull. A shower of sparks poured over Shadow, and blinding lights flashed in his eyes as he heaved against the tight black ropes. Pressing his left hand and right foot firmly against the wall for leverage, he began to growl, his face locked in a snarl of determination. The growl grew louder the harder he pulled, transforming into a battle cry when he felt the cables start to give. All the while Sonic's cries of pain rang in his ears, stoking the fire of his determination.

With a loud bang Shadow's hand came rushing out of the cavity, dragging a tangle of cables and metal scraps with it. The drone of the forcefield, dreadful to Shadow's ears, began to quieten down into an almost disappointed low hum, and the web of energy fizzled out into a cluster of blue sparkling light, dancing like fireflies before vanishing completely. On the floor, Sonic didn't look up, but breathed heavily, moaning with each breath, and Shadow could see his thin arms trembling under the weight of his body.

Shadow rushed over to Sonic, kicking aside the still sparking Matrix, before sliding down on to his knees. As Sonic's arms gave way Shadow caught him by the shoulders, pulling the blue hedgehog towards him and gently turning him onto his back. Sonic was light but the weight of his collapse made him feel heavy, and Shadow brought Sonic's head and shoulders down to rest in his lap. Sonic's quills parted on either side of Shadow's legs, his arms resting limply along the floor. Shadow put his arms underneath Sonic's shoulders, and he felt the blue hedgehog's body relax, his breathing becoming slower, and the moans less pronounced. Smoke fizzled from the singed edges of his bandages, and his eyes remained tightly closed.

"It's alright, Sonic," said Shadow, "it's over now. I've got you." Shadow's tone was matter of-fact rather than comforting, but in his heart Shadow felt the tightness which arose whenever he saw Sonic in pain. A sliver of green caught Shadow's eye, as Sonic's eyes opened slightly to squint at him.

"Shadow?" he croaked, "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"That really friggin' hurt," he said, smiling through the pain.

"I know, Sonic," said Shadow. He himself had only got a small dose of the forcefield's power, and it had been agony, he couldn't begin to imagine how painful it must have been for Sonic. The boy on his lap closed his eyes again, tilting his head to one side, and Shadow felt him breathing gently.

"I've got you, Sonic," he said, brushing a hand across Sonic's forehead, "you're safe now."

~o~

* * *

A wooden door, painted cobalt blue, shook from the weight of the gloved hand pounding upon it. The echidna in front of the door formed a stark contrast against it, crimson red like blood against the sky at dusk. The door failed to open, and no sound could be heard from within the house to which it belonged. Again, a white gloved fist struck the battered door multiple times.

"Sonic?" shouted Knuckles, "Tails? Anybody home?" Peering around the porch, he could see the large front window masked on the inside by thick curtains, the same shade of blue as the door. Knuckles wondered why the curtains would be drawn on such a glorious morning, before shrugging indifferently and turning away from the house. Before he took two steps down the weed-choked path, a rattling sound behind him caught his ear. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw the door open by a few centimetres. As he approached the door, he could see the chain securing the door on the inside, but no sign of his friends.

"H-hello?" a quiet voice came from behind the door, "w-who is it?" Knuckles thought the voice sounded like Tails, but he sounded frightened, his voice trembling and muted.

"Tails? It's Knuckles. Is everything alright in there?"

"Oh hello, Kn-knuckles. If you're looking for S-sonic, he went out to the park. M-maybe you can catch him there." Alarm bells rang in Knuckles' mind. Tails should've been throwing the door open and embracing him in childish over-excitement. A grim determination set upon Knuckles, something was wrong, he needed to act.

"Tails," he said in a stern tone, "I think you should let me in. Can you open the door now please?"

"N-no need to come in!" said Tails through nervous laughter, "S-Sonic will be home soon, you should come back then. Okay, bye!" The sliver of the inside porch narrowed, and Knuckles stood facing the closed door once more. The sheer wrongness of Tails' timid attempts to hide increased his drive to act, and he clenched his fists tightly, feeling the anger rising in his belly.

"Tails!" he bellowed, "I'm coming in. Stand back from the door!"

A shower of blue-edged splinters cascaded into the porch when Knuckles' drove his fist into the façade of the door. The hinges twisted and peeled from the frame, and the bulk of the door toppled into the porch like a falling body. Knuckles leapt through the threshold, noting that he would fix the door himself later. Right now the need to find out what was going on with his friend took precedence.

The living room stood in a cool dim gloom, the only light that of the restrained sunlight forcing its way around the edges of the curtains. In the centre of the room, Tails huddled in one corner of the sofa, cradling his face with his hands. The little fox shuddered away from Knuckles as he approached, and the echidna's heart sank to see his friend so terrified; he hadn't meant to scare him.

Then he saw the bruises.

All over Tails' trembling body, purple swelling could be seen underneath his orange fur, in other places, small patches of dried blood formed it into knotted clumps. Knuckles blood rose, and the fire in his belly became a raging inferno.

"Tails?!" he exclaimed, "By the Master, what happened? Who did this to you?" The fox didn't take his hands away from his face. Knuckles knelt down beside him, and taking the boy's thin arms in his strong hands, he turned Tails to face him. Deep bags hung underneath Tails' eyes, his muzzle fur stained with dried tears. Dark swelling surrounded his right eye, and Knuckles breath escaped him when he saw the rictus of fear across his friend's face.

"Tails," he said in a gentle whisper, "who did this to you?" Blue eyes glanced towards the door anxiously, before staring back at Knuckles.

"I…I c-can't say!" he stammered, "I d-don't want you to h-hurt him." Knuckles saw a face flash across his mind, and instantly a mental line connected with Tails' plea. Shock and disbelief coursed through him, stoking the fire of his rage once again.

"Sonic?! Sonic did this… he did _this_ to you?" He stood up, staring into the distance in confusion, "SONIC?!"

Tails said nothing, but Knuckles saw Tails' expression, which pleaded _please don't hurt him,_ confirming the echidna's accusation.

"That bastard!" Knuckles shouted, "I'll wring his scrawny neck!" Spinning round, he drove his foot into the coffee table, sending it skidding across the floor into the wooden TV unit, where the glass smashed into shards. Knuckles stood hunched, his hot breath escaping as barely-Mobian savage grunts, "how could he do this… you're his best friend, his little _brother_!" The last word came out as a full-throated shout at the ceiling. Turning round to face Tails, he saw the fox sitting dejectedly, tears streaming down his muzzle. Muttering to himself Knuckles took out his phone and started dialling.

"Who are you calling?" asked Tails.

"Someone I can still trust," said Knuckles, pacing and not taking his eyes off his fox friend.

"Hiya, hot stuff," the sultry voice of Rouge rang out in Knuckles' ear. He had no time for her flirtatious games right now.

"Rouge, It's Knuckles. You need to get over to Sonic's house right now. Bring Amy as well."

"What's wrong, Sugar? You sound even more tense than usual."

"It's urgent, Rouge. We need to talk about Sonic."

~o~

* * *

Sonic's eyes slowly opened, a sliver of bright light forcing its way into his eyelids. Through his blurred squinting the verdant green of trees came into focus, reaching up above his head to the brilliant azure & cloudless sky. The smell of damp grass wafted through his nostrils, and a chattering chorus of squawking birds and howling monkeys rattled in the undergrowth all around. Sonic could feel himself lying prone, his head and shoulders resting on something soft.

"Ugh, my head's killing me," he said aloud, "Somebody get the number of that bus." Tilting his head to the left revealed the dark figure of Shadow sitting over him, the sunlit edifice of the stone ziggurat towering into the sky above him. Shadow's positioning indicated that Sonic was lying on the black hedgehog's lap, Shadow's arms forming a loop around his upper body and supporting his shoulders.

"Shadow? What are you doing?"

"You passed out after the forcefield shocked you," said Shadow, angling his head to look down at Sonic, "I carried you out of the temple about an hour ago."

"And you've just been holding me- I mean, sitting here like this the whole time?" Sonic found the Shadow cushion strangely comfortable. Shadow's face, stony as ever, seemed at odds with his relaxed body language. Sonic expected his body to tense up and his heart to race, trapped as he was in close physical contact with Shadow. In all their time in the cell, he had barely been able to look at Shadow without feeling nervous, gradually coming to the realisation that he was finding Shadow more and more appealing to look at. In this position however, he felt completely relaxed, the urge to leap from Shadow's arms nowhere near.

"Using Chaos Control would not have been wise while you were in this weakened state," Shadow continued, "I thought the fresh air might do you some good."

"Since when did you care about my wellbeing?" Sonic said, a playful lilt to his voice, "You're developing a soft spot for me, Shadsy." Shadow's stony face became even stonier, but he didn't change position.

"Sonic, I never liked you," he said, "I'm not even sure if I like you now. You're an irritating, arrogant poseur. Knowing there's some depth behind your annoying ego doesn't make it any less annoying. It's just..." he drifted off, staring over Sonic into the jungle beyond.

"What?" asked Sonic. Shadow let out a disgruntled sigh.

"I don't like seeing you get hurt," he said, looking down at Sonic, "For some reason, I find myself needing to keep you safe from harm, to protect you." Sonic felt like Shadow had just slapped him. His independent spirit burned within his heart, and his perception of his rival-turned-friend warped. Shadow was being condescending, he thought, trying to imply that Sonic was a weakling who needed caring for, just to make himself look superior. He wrestled free from Shadow's strong grip to sit upright.

"Aww," he said in a mock baby-voice, lower lip pouting, "does big stwong Shadow want to take care of poor wittle weak Sonic?" Shadow glared at him.

"I never called you weak-"

"Save it, Shadow!" snapped Sonic, shuffling to the edge of the stone step they were on, "I don't need you to protect me. I can look after myself." He pushed himself down from the ledge. Landing on the soft grassy ground below, a stabbing pain shot through his legs, and his head pounded faster and louder. The walk across the grass rapidly descended into a hobble, Sonic clutching at the stitch in his side as he limped along.

"Ow. We need to - ahh - get moving – ow." The pain constricting his lower body and rapidly ascending forced the vocalisations out of him, his breath becoming more laboured with every step. Over his shoulder Shadow walked slowly behind him.

"Sonic, you're too wea-" he said, hand outstretched, "you're too tired to run. Let me help you."

"Get stuffed!" said Sonic, slapping Shadow's hand away, "I don't… need… your…" Narrow blue knees buckled, and he dropped onto the thick carpet of grass, placing his hands down to support him. His muscles throbbed with an intense heat, and in his head the pounding became like jackhammers. Just as he felt his arms giving way, a hand gripped him under each armpit. Shadow slowly but firmly lifted him onto his feet, before Sonic felt an arm sweep the back of his knees forward into the air. Another arm slid across the back of his shoulders, and Sonic found himself lying across Shadow's arms. With some jostling help from Shadow, he swung his arms up around Shadow's neck and gripped tightly. The pain in Sonic's body began to subside, the pounding diminishing into a dull throbbing. Shadow's expression said one thing only to Sonic; _I told you so._ Still unable to accept Shadow knowing better than him, Sonic rolled his eyes.

"Okay, so maybe this time I do need a hand," he said, "But let's see how well you can walk after taking 10,000 volts up your butt." Shadow's expression softened slightly; Sonic wondered if he had almost made the surly black hedgehog laugh. Shadow stood staring at him, and Sonic felt his heart thundering in his chest.

"So…" he said, trying to calm himself down, "Shall we head off then?"

"Of course," said Shadow, a devilish smirk appearing, "Hold on to your quills."

Crimson light engulfed Sonic's vision, and a howling wind rushed through his ears. He felt like he was being pulled through a straw, a warm tingling sensation rapidly overtaking his body. The first time Sonic had tried Chaos Control, to save himself from death in the ARK's escape pod, he spent several minutes in complete disorientation; Knuckles had found him vomiting in the space station's corridor. Since then he avoided it if he could manage it, if only to not miss out on an opportunity to run.

With a bright red flash before his eyes, the pandemonium in his senses abruptly ceased. Sonic felt his body temperature rapidly drop, the humid jungle air replaced by a cool stillness. Looking around, he recognised the magnificently appointed living room of Rouge's house, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Turning his head to look at Shadow, Sonic saw him staring ahead, a serene look on his face. Sonic's body moved up and down in time with Shadow's breathing, and Sonic relaxed, his eyes slowly scanning the dark hedgehog's features.

_Oh Chaos, I'm so attracted to him right now,_ thought Sonic, his relaxation quelling any discomfort, _he's handsome, strong, and he can Chaos Control with his eyes closed. Maybe I was too hard on him, if he wants to protect me, why shouldn't I let him? It would make a change from me protecting everyone else all the time._ Sonic's heart fluttered a little at the thought of it, _alright Shadow the Hedgehog, you can be my – what the -!_

His train of thought de-railed when he flew through the air. Landing in something soft that felt like a giant marshmallow, air rapidly escaped his lungs from the impact. Shadow had hurled him onto Rouge's enormous sofa, which threatened to collapse in on him like the world's gaudiest avalanche.

"Easy there, Shads," said Sonic, "Keeping me safe, remember?" Shadow's trademark glare returned.

"If you're threatened by a sofa, I really can't help you."

Sonic saw Shadow disappear towards the kitchen door, unable to see more past the towering back of the sofa. Listening intently, he heard some drawers being opened and shut forcefully, the tap running briefly, and a clatter of metal. Shadow re-entered his view, a tall glass of water in one hand, and a pair of vegetable scissors in the other. Standing over Sonic, Shadow thrust the glass towards him with a rigid arm.

"Drink this."

"Yes sir!" said Sonic sarcastically, bringing the glass to his lips. The water felt like a mountain stream cascading down his throat. Compared to the synthesised, plasticky stuff he had been drinking from Eggman's replicator, the clear, cold liquid might have well been ambrosia. Gulping it down, drops spilling down his chin, he finished the glass in one go, a gasp of satisfaction escaping him as he handed it back to Shadow. Wiping his mouth, he motioned towards the scissors.

"What are those for?"

"I'm going to take off your bandages," said Shadow, "they're no good in this state. Lie still."

Sonic lay back, and Shadow sat down on the floor, hooking the scissors under the blackened edges of the bandages wrapped around Sonic's waist. With slow, steady movements he cut through the ragged and burnt fabric, his face focused intently on his task, taking care not to catch any of Sonic's fur. On occasion his hand brushed against Sonic's abdomen, and Sonic felt a tingle wash over his body. After a few more cuts, Shadow peeled back the fabric, and Sonic craned his neck to see the damage.

A fresh red scar traced a diagonal trench through Sonic's fur, skirting the edge of his belly button, the fur around it clumped together with spots of dried blood. Shadow studied the scar like a scientist looking through a microscope, before tracing his finger along it.

Though he barely touched Sonic's skin, the blue hedgehog felt another tingle rush through him, his belly quivering under the pleasurable slow rub of Shadow's finger along it. Sonic's heart began to beat faster, and his throat became dry as he watched the finger gently prod his body.

"Looks like your cuts have healed nicely already. I guess you do everything quickly," said Shadow, pausing when he noticed Sonic's trembling, "What's the matter? Don't tell me you're ticklish."

"Uh... yeah, that's it," said Sonic, a hot flush in his face, "I'm ticklish, so don't tickle me, whatever you do." Sonic's heart raced faster in his eagerness to feel Shadow's touch again. To his dismay the reverse psychology failed, and Shadow took his hand away.

"Hmmph," grunted Shadow, seemingly indifferent. Sonic's heart sank; he desperately wanted Shadow to touch him again.

"Could you help me sit up a bit?" he said, feigning weakness, "This position isn't very comfortable." Shadow rolled his eyes, but put down the scissors. Leaning forward to grip Sonic under his arms, he lifted him up, and Sonic scooched his backside into a sitting position, overcome with joy at Shadow's touch, gulping when the black hedgehog's head briefly brushed past his. Shadow placed a few plump cushions behind Sonic's back to support him, before sitting back down to the floor.

"Thanks, Shads," Sonic said with a warm smile, his elation levelling off. Shadow ignored him, taking a firm hold of Sonic's arm and snipping at the bandages there. Sonic continued to smile, watching the black hedgehog at work. In Sonic's chest a nervous feeling crept in, growing stronger every second he stared at Shadow. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, and bit down on his lip to stop the weight in his chest escaping as an audible sigh.

_So this is what it's like to be in love,_ he thought, his nerves tightening, _but why did it have to be him?_

~o~ _  
_

* * *

"I'm gonna kill him for this. I'm gonna knock that smug face right off his shoulders." Knuckles paced restlessly in circles in Sonic's living room, occasionally flailing his arms in frustration. Rouge thought he looked more like he was fighting off a large bee, but his bulky hands threatened to break more of Sonic's furniture.

"Red, honey, I think you need to calm down," she said, "before you break anything else." She motioned towards the shattered coffee table, and wondered if trashed houses were following her around this week. On the sofa, Amy sat with her arm around a dejected Tails, dabbing his eyes gently with a handkerchief.

"I will not calm down!" said Knuckles, rounding on her with eyes blazing, "We trusted him with Tails' safety, and he's betrayed that trust. He thinks he can do whatever he likes, it's time he was _taught a lesson_ in humility." Something about Knuckles' words caused Tails to start sobbing, burying his face in Amy's shoulder. The pink hedgehog held him close with both arms, before shooting daggers at Knuckles with her eyes.

"Knuckles, please!" she said, "Can't you see you're making Tails more upset?"

The red echidna muttered under his breath, before resuming his frantic pacing.

"I can't believe Sonic would do something like this," said Amy, her face heavy with worry as she stroked the back of Tails' head.

"Why not?" barked Knuckles, "He's a smug jerk who treats the world like his personal playground." Amy glared at the red echidna, shaking her head.

"Blue does have a bit of a temper, hon," said Rouge, "You don't want to get on his bad side, that's for sure." She had seen Sonic lose it before, usually when someone threatened his friends. In those moments his ferocity rivalled Shadow's, and Rouge remembered feeling glad that Big Blue was on her side. The idea that he could turn that anger on Tails left a bad taste in her mouth.

"You don't know him!" said Amy, on the verge of tears herself, "He's sweet and kind and... and he loves his friends! He must be brainwashed or maybe it's an evil robot duplicate or something. Why else would he say those mean things to me?" Rouge rolled her eyes.

_She always has to make things about herself, doesn't she?_

"What do you mean?" said Rouge.

"I saw him in town yesterday," said Amy, "He was acting real weird, and then he told me he was gay, and that Shadow was his boyfriend. All just to hurt my feelings." Rouge felt her heart sink at Amy's forlorn expression. To Rouge, Sonic and Shadow's frustration with each other clearly screamed repressed sexual feelings, and was the only part of the scenario she could honestly believe. She knew it would break Amy's lovesick heart to hear what she had found on Shadow's phone. Before she could figure out how to break the news gently, Tails sat up, a curious look on his face.

"He told me that too," he said, sniffling, "I thought he was teasing me. He's been acting real strange ever since we went to find that Chaos signal." Rouge's ears pricked up.

"You went looking for a Chaos signal?" she said, "Shadow did the same thing two days ago. Did you find anything?"

"No," said Tails, "we got separated for hours. When I found him again he said he found nothing." Rouge's spy mind stepped up a gear; another piece of the puzzle tantalisingly close.

"Shadow came back empty-handed as well," she said, "I asked him about it, but he wouldn't give me any details."

"Has he been acting weird as well?" asked Amy.

"He's been stubborn, moody, and an insensitive prick," she said, sighing, "so no, not really." Tails leapt out of Amy's grasp and onto his feet. Bright and alert despite the puffiness around his eyes, Rouge could see the young happy genius rising from the depths of his sorrow. She smiled warmly at the return of her friend.

"Wait a second!" he said, finger in the air declaratively, "Before Sonic... before the um… _bad stuff_ happened, my Anomalous Waveform Analyser went crazy, and Sonic smashed it to pieces in a rage. I thought it was just annoying him but..."

"What's a waveform analyser?" asked Rouge.

"It detects Chaos energy," said Tails, "I think something did happen to him in that temple, and he's trying to hide it!" Amy's face lit up.

"That means we can help him get better!" she said. Rouge smirked, regardless of whatever else was happening, Sonic would not magically fall for Amy.

"Let's not jump to any conclusions here," said the bat, "We still need to talk to Sonic, maybe he'll come clean about what happened."

"Hey," said Tails, "where'd Knuckles go?" The three Mobians heads swivelled from side to side, looking for a sign of the hot-blooded echidna. He had been skirting the edges of their vision all throughout their conversation. None of them had even noticed when he vanished completely.

Rouge dashed to the where the front door once stood, its broken blue body lying pathetically across the porch floor. Gazing out into the bright sunlight, she saw the distant red figure stomping towards the tall trees overlooking the park.

"I have a bad feeling about this."

~o~


	8. VIII - Shadow Play

** VIII: Shadow Play **

Gravel shuddered beneath the pounding of heavy boots, children on bikes swerving to avoid the echidna thundering along the winding path through the park. The bright sunlight of the morning, dappled by the thick growth of the trees lining the path, bathed the picnickers and day-trippers in shady warmth, and by the large circular fountain dominating the centre of the park, the light cast rainbows across the children splashing about in the cool spray. Knuckles barely noticed the lines of heads turning to watch him stride by, his eyes fixed on the figure loitering near the fountain.

Knuckles could see Sonic prancing about, performing cartwheels across the gravel before gesticulating wildly. Behind the spray of water cascading from the three Mobian Angels resting on the fountain, a distorted and dark silhouette perched on the fountain's edge, apparently the audience to Sonic's antics. Knuckles focused entirely on the blue hedgehog, the red rag to his fury.

"Sonic!" bellowed Knuckles, scattering pigeons with his shout. Sonic turned to face him, smiling a friend's smile.

"Hey Knux," he said, "how-"

"Don't you 'Knux' me, you bastard!" Knuckles snapped, still marching towards Sonic, fist winding up, "you'll pay for what you've done to Tails." Sonic frantically stepped backwards from Knuckles, hands up defensively. Before Knuckles struck, the dark silhouette stepped out from behind the curtain of water, revealing the imposing figure of Shadow. The black and red hedgehog positioned himself between the echidna and the cowering Sonic, staring Knuckles down. Knuckles stopped, his anger mildly curbed by surprise.

"Shadow?" said Knuckles, "What are you doing here?" Shadow said nothing, but continued to bore his crimson eyes into Knuckles. Despite Knuckles being the larger of the two Mobians, Shadow remained unflinchingly steadfast against his anger.

"Get out of my way," said Knuckles, "This is between me and Sonic. It's none of your business."

Knuckles felt a heavy object impact his snout. Pain shot through his head as it snapped back, dragging his weight with it. His feet slid away from him, and the force of gravity pulled his head back towards the ground. With a jolt he felt the gravel path strike his skull from behind, the sharp stones scratching along his back. Opening his eyes to the cloud of dust enveloping him, the sound of children crying sharpened his senses. Sitting up, Knuckles saw Shadow standing over him, face unchanged, fist twitching. In the corners of his vision Knuckles saw fretful parents sweep their children up in their arms and hurriedly leave.

"I just made it my business," said Shadow, glaring, "Sonic is under my protection. I will kill anyone who threatens him. _Anyone_. Consider this your only warning."

"Shadow? What are you-" Knuckles started, interrupted by the taste of warm blood entering his mouth. Putting his glove under his nose, the white fabric became stained red as his fur, "you broke my nose, you psychopath!" Behind Shadow, Sonic bent double with high-pitched laughter, pointing at Knuckles and spasmodically writhing in mirth.

"Good one, Shads!" he said, "The big knucklehead never saw it coming! _Duuuh, I'm Knuckles, I'm a dumbass who thinks he can fight Shadow._ " Knuckles seethed at Sonic's mocking impression, the pain in his snout the only discouragement to leaping back to his feet and bum-rushing Sonic. Instead he turned back to face Shadow.

"Shadow," he said, his voice becoming pleading, "Sonic's been _beating_ Tails. He's been hitting a child for his own sick amusement." Shadow remained unmoved by this revelation.

"I don't care. Sonic does what he feels like. If he wants to beat that snot-nosed brat, no-one has the right to stop him." Knuckles mouth dropped open; much as he disliked Shadow, he never thought he could be this heartless.

"No-one tells me what to do, Knux," said Sonic, standing calmly next to Shadow, his emerald eyes moving up and down Shadow's body, "right now, I feel like doing this." Sonic put his hands around Shadow's waist, turning the dark hedgehog to face him. Knuckles watched dumbstruck as the two hedgehogs locked lips, eyes closed passionately, slender arms pulling each other's bodies together. Knuckles staggered to his feet, horrified by the display in front of him.

"You're sick, Sonic! This… _monster's_ corrupted you," he said, pointing at Shadow, "You need to get away from him, right now." Sonic turned to face him, still held in Shadow's arms. His face oozed contempt.

"Fuck off!" he spat, "I'm staying with Shadow. The rest of you can just kill yourselves for all I care."

Knuckles fury burned stronger than ever. He wanted to leap forward and smash Sonic's filthy mouth out through the back of his head. But he began to feel woozy from the gushing blood barely held back by his glove. Giving Sonic one last hateful look, he turned on his heel and staggered back in the direction he had come.

"This isn't over, Sonic!" he called over his shoulder.

"Yeah, I think it just might be!" shouted Sonic from behind him. Knuckles did his best to remain upright, when all his body wanted to do was collapse to the ground. The pain in his snout, sharp and biting, became a dull throb compared to the pain in his heart. The Sonic he knew and respected, irritating ego aside, had died, seemingly overnight. In his place, Knuckles saw only the selfish jerk he had always feared Sonic could become but for the love for his friends.

Beside him, three excited schoolboys pointed and shouted, oblivious to Knuckles' injuries.

"Hey, look!" squealed a silver wolf cub, "it's Sonic the Hedgehog!"

"No," said Knuckles in a deep funk, garnering confused looks from the boys, "It isn't. Not anymore."

~o~

* * *

From the upstairs of Rouge's house, the muffled sounds of tuneless singing echoed through the ceiling, barely masked by the drumroll sound of water. Shadow sat on one end of the sofa, drumming his fingers in irritation, ears twitching in response to the caterwauling from above. Sonic had decided to take advantage of Rouge's shower, hoping to clean the dirt, blood and other such things from his fur. Shadow hadn't exactly given his permission; he didn't think Sonic would be the sort not to leave the bathroom in total disarray, which he knew would annoy Rouge's borderline compulsive habits. But Sonic had run off without waiting to be told, as he always did.

In his free hand, Shadow idly passed the small locket between his fingers. By accident, the catch popped open, and Shadow beheld Maria's smiling face, faded through time. In his heart he felt a pang, a tightness he had felt time and again over the past few days. Shadow struggled with the confusion in his brain; this was the same feeling he got whenever Sonic seemed vulnerable.

"Hi Maria," he said quietly, "it's Shadow. How have you been?" Shadow always began his "conversations" with Maria's picture this way. He knew how stupid it must sound; did he really expect the picture to talk back to him? Shadow sighed heavily, feeling like the girl knew what he was about to say, and that her eyes were judging him. But he felt he had discovered so much about himself and about Sonic recently, he couldn't not tell her.

"I thought I hated him, Maria," he said, "I made a promise to you to keep this world safe, to make its people happy, but I found that he had taken that role from me. The people loved him, he saved their lives almost every day. Worst of all, he treated it like a joke, or a game! Nothing mattered to him, he didn't understand what it means to… to love someone like I loved you," Shadow felt his eyes grow heavy, his heart constricted with sadness, "but I've seen a new side to Sonic, Maria. I realise now, he loves Tails more than he loves himself, and I've seen him become… vulnerable." There was that word again, the one that gnawed at Shadow's thoughts, made him question his outlook on Sonic.

"This world needs him, but he can be hurt, he can be broken. He needs someone to keep him safe. I can be that person, Maria. If I can be Sonic's protector, I'll be keeping my promise to you. If Sonic is safe and happy, the world is too. Isn't that what you wanted?" Shadow desperately wanted to hear Maria's voice, he was certain this was the right course of action, but to hear her sweet voice whisper in his ear would have made him the happiest hedgehog alive.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the stairs behind him; Shadow had become so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed the ruckus from the bathroom quietening down. Snapping shut the locket, he quickly brought it up to his mouth, kissed it gently, then slipped it back into his glove. Turning around in his seat, he saw Sonic standing at the bottom of the stairs, rubbing a fluffy pink towel over his quills.

"Aah, that was refreshing," said Sonic, "I'm so glad to get all that muck out of my fur." The blue hedgehog looked over at Shadow, "have you heard anything from Rouge?"

"I haven't called her. I've been… busy."

"Doing what?" said Sonic, raising a curious brow.

"Thinking."

"Oh good," said Sonic, voice tinged with sarcasm, "I was worried you might be doing something productive."

Looking at Sonic, who sported a cheeky grin, Shadow felt the twinge of irritation that often accompanied his interactions with the blue blur, only tempered by his talk with Maria. Sonic moved around to the front of the sofa where Shadow sat.

"Shadow, I've been thinking, we should probably head over to my place. I want to see if Tails is okay. Whoa! What are you doing?"

Shadow leapt to his feet and swept Sonic into his arms, pulling him close against his body and holding tight. For a brief moment Shadow had seen Sonic's veneer of happiness thin at the mention of Tails. In that brief moment Shadow felt an uncontrollable urge to hold the blue hedgehog, to keep him safe and tell him everything would be okay. Sonic's arms hung limply by his side, and Shadow expected him to squirm, as he had been doing for the past two days whenever they got too close. Instead, a pair of slender blue arms wrapped around him, reaching up his back and gripping his shoulders, pulling the black hedgehog deeper into the hug. Sonic buried his head against Shadow's chest fur, his own fur soft and fluffy from the shower, and Shadow felt warm breath rattling across his chest.

_I could hold him like this forever,_ thought Shadow, his eyes closed, _this must be right. This must be what you want, Maria; it feels too good to be wrong._ For what felt like hours the two hedgehogs stood in a tender embrace, before at last Sonic pulled away. Shadow kept hold of him, staring into Sonic's eyes. Sonic's face became a picture of embarrassment, deep blushes under his fur.

"Shadow? That was… I mean… do you… um…" Sonic stammered, "that was… nice. A little surprising, but nice." Shadow continued to stare, and Sonic's expression softened. He began to move his face closer to Shadow, and without knowing why Shadow moved to meet him. Warm breath flowed over him as Sonic's mouth opened slightly, his pursed lips coming nearer and nearer until…

Sonic leapt out of Shadow's arms in alarm when the front door crashed open.

"W-we weren't doing anything!" Sonic cried.

Shadow jolted as if woken from a dream, the room seeming to spin around him. Regaining his composure he turned to face the door, expecting to see Rouge standing in the doorway.

Instead, his eyes fell upon his own reflection.

~o~

* * *

Sonic's dream-like stupor came crashing down around him, the bang of the front door against its frame shattering the calm. The fastest thing alive felt like molasses going uphill in January as he struggled free of Shadow's embrace. As he blurted out a hasty denial, his heart began to pound, and he wondered: why was he panicking? He wasn't doing anything wrong. That embrace with Shadow had been so warm, so loving, it didn't matter what anyone else thought, except maybe Tails. No-one else was going to tell him what he could and couldn't do.

"Rouge, before you say anything, I -"

Turning to face the door, the figure looming in the doorway stunned Sonic as if he'd been slapped in the face. A black hedgehog with red stripes, a white tuft of fur on his chest, and most familiar of all, a glare that could freeze mercury.

"So, you escaped," said the Shadow-a-like, voice low and brimming with contempt, "I knew it was a mistake to trust Robotnik with your deactivation."

"That's right!" said Sonic, earning him a confused look from the real Shadow, "Eggman let us go. He said he couldn't trust you to carry out his plan, so he's sending us in your place." The fake Shadow smirked haughtily.

"Robotnik is a fool. He would use us as a blunt instrument in his petty ambitions. What good does it do to rule a world as sick as this one? Men like him will not survive what's coming, and neither will you. Remain still while I shut you down."

The dark hedgehog became a black blur as he shot across the room towards Sonic. The hero of Mobius readied himself for a fight, but before the first strike fell another black blur flashed across his vision. Glass and crockery exploded as the two Shadows smashed into the dresser, before cascading down the landslide of shards to the floor. Sonic prepared to leap into the fray, but as he gazed upon the two hedgehogs wrestling on the floor, striking each other with heavy blows that made him wince to watch, he realised he couldn't tell which one was 'his' Shadow. The fake Shadow had copied him perfectly, right down to the fury of his unfettered rage. Sonic could do nothing but watch the carnage unfold, feeling completely helpless.

"Stop!" he pleaded, hands raised in surrender, "You don't need to fight, can't we talk this out?" Sonic realised his voice sounded pathetic, and the Shadows paid no heed to him.

One of the Shadows, the one lying on his back, managed to hook his foot under the other's abdomen. With a driving, piston-like thrust he cast the other into the air and through the kitchen door. Another crash rang out, this time of metal and wood. The Shadow in the living room leapt to his feet in an acrobatic movement and dashed into the kitchen, Sonic following close behind.

The kitchen units had caved in, and cutlery, pans, and broken plates spilled out across the floor. The two Shadows set upon each other again, crashing into the fridge with such force that the heavy appliance toppled over, milk and broken eggs spilling out in a foodstuff fountain.

After another round of devastating blows, the combatants fell to the floor once more, one of the Shadows pinning the other to the floor. The glint of metal caught Sonic's eye, and his heart leapt into his mouth.

The Shadow on top held aloft a large kitchen knife, his arm wound back like a coiled snake, and a savage look of triumph on his face. The other Shadow seemed frozen in shock at the sight of it. As the knife fell, Sonic leapt forward, moving faster than he had ever moved in his life, and seized Shadow's arm with both hands. The knife stopped just a few millimetres from the other Shadow's heart.

"No! You can't!" Sonic cried, straining against the black hedgehog's strong arm, "I won't let you kill him!"

Taking advantage of the reprieve, the pinned Shadow kicked up into the other's stomach, lifting both him and Sonic to their feet, Sonic still gripping Shadow's wrist like his life depended on it. The knife fell from Shadow's grip, bouncing across the tiled kitchen floor with a high-pitch scraping and metallic clatter.

The other Shadow rose to his feet, panting heavily, hackles raised like a cornered animal, crimson eyes fixed on the two hedgehogs. The next second he stood bolt upright, ears twitching, eyes staring into the middle distance. With a flash of crimson light that blinded Sonic, the Shadow he wasn't holding back vanished, and a still blanket of calm flooded the house.

"Damn it, Sonic!" said Shadow, wrenching his arm from Sonic's grip, "you let him get away!"

"Prove you're the real Shadow!" snapped Sonic, pressing his back against the shattered kitchen units and pointing accusingly. The ebony hedgehog eyed him suspiciously.

"What are you talking about?"

"Prove to me you're the real Shadow! Do it!" Sonic snapped again, trying to keep his hand from shaking. Shadow rolled his eyes, in his hands appeared the locket, swinging from the chain.

"How do I know you didn't take that from my Shadow during the fight?"

"You told me you thought she was beautiful, and I told you how I… talk to her," said Shadow, and Sonic could see no lie in his eyes, "you told me you would do the same for Tails, if our roles were reversed. Are you happy now?"

Sonic took a few tentative steps towards Shadow, who raised his arms to receive him. Instead of resuming their earlier hug, Sonic smacked the ebony hedgehog hard across the side of his head. The usually steadfast Shadow staggered to one side, looking at Sonic with confusion.

"You were going to murder him, you bastard!" shouted Sonic, "what were you thinking?"

"He's a threat to us, Sonic," Shadow snapped back, "and to our friends, too. If there's a threat, I remove it, no matter the cost. You know that's how I work."

"But, you can't just-"

"Sonic, he's a threat to Tails! And you let him escape! Did you think about that?" Sonic felt his heart sink at the thought of his friend, but he cringed at Shadow's blatant emotional manipulation.

"Besides," Shadow continued, "he's not real. He's just a robot that looks like me. You can't murder something that isn't alive."

"I suppose you're right," Sonic agreed without much conviction, in his own mind, the robot seemed just like another living and breathing Shadow; just as handsome, just as terrifyingly violent, "Shadow, I don't know-"

Shadow took Sonic into his arms again, and Sonic fell silent, his doubts melting away. Burying his face into Shadow's soft chest fur, a warm feeling of contentment spreading through him, Sonic gently stroked his hands along Shadow's slender body. Sonic wondered if his imagination had played tricks on him earlier, it really had seemed like the two were about to kiss, before Fake Shadow interrupted them. Sonic felt his heart racing as Shadow lifted his head away from his chest, staring into his eyes. _Oh please, let this be the real thing this time._

"Do you want to find Tails, Sonic?" asked Shadow, stroking Sonic's face gently, "I can tell you're worried about him." Sonic shook his head, arising from his lovesick torpor. Shadow had misinterpreted his desperate look, but Sonic supposed it was for the best. He couldn't let his feelings for Shadow distract him from saving his friends, particularly his beloved little brother.

"Yeah, I am," he said, "let's get to my place, tout suite!"

Shadow swept up into his arms like a bride, as he had done outside the temple.

"You don't have to carry me anymore, Shads," said Sonic. Shadow smirked, almost mischievously.

"I know. I just want to, for some reason."

As crimson light engulfed the two hedgehogs, Shadow's face turned to confusion. Amongst the deafening noise of Chaos Control, Sonic heard the ebony hedgehog's voice faintly through the howling wind.

"What did you mean, _your_ Shadow?"

~o~

 


	9. IX - Technical Difficulties

**IX – Technical Difficulties**

"What on Mobius were you thinking?" said Rouge, turning her back on the red echidna, who sat hunched over on the sofa, clutching a bag of ice cubes to his snout.

"I was trying to straighten Sonic out," Knuckles muttered, sounding like he had bees up his nose.

_Good luck with that,_ thought Rouge, Knuckles caught sight of her wry smile, looking up to glare at her.

"What are you smirking about?" he said.

"Oh, nothing really," said Rouge, dismissing him with a graceful wave of her hand. Her mirth went hand in hand with pangs of guilt. Sonic & Shadow had turned on their friends, leaving one battered and broken, the other bleeding and angry, yet all she could think about was their tawdry romance.

"Where did Tails go? And Amy?" asked Knuckles.

"I asked Amy to take Tails to stay with Vanilla & Cream. I really don't want him here when Sonic gets back."

"Let me guess, he didn't want to go, right?"

"Yeah," said Rouge, intrigued, "how did you-?"

"He actually believes that crap Sonic has been feeding him," said Knuckles, his voice becoming agitated, "that this is somehow his own fault." Rouge's heart sank as Knuckles spoke. This whole situation had hit him hard, and it showed in the way he carried himself. Beneath the anger, a great weariness bubbled to the surface, making him sound tired. Sonic & Knuckles didn't always see eye to eye, but Tails was the heart that brought them together. Rouge placed a comforting hand on Knuckles' shoulder, and he brought his free hand up to meet it, practically engulfing her hand with his glove.

"Oh, Red," sighed Rouge, "I wish there was a simple solution to this, but we have to stay strong. Things aren't going to be the same anymore."

A flash of crimson light, and a crash like lightning directly overhead shocked Rouge out of her funk. She recognised the tell-tale signs of Chaos Control immediately, and gripped Knuckles' shoulder tightly in anticipation. As the blood-red light faded, the familiar silhouette of Shadow eclipsed the light of the front window. Under her hand Rouge felt Knuckles shuddering with rage, and she pressed down with all her weight, hoping to prevent him launching himself at Shadow.

Shadow's face, never the picture of sunshine & happiness, seemed softer than usual, almost relaxed to Rouge's eyes. To her greater surprise, Sonic lay draped across his arms like a newly-wed bride. Meeting her eyes, Sonic's face turned to shock, and he leapt from Shadow's arms to his feet.

"Rouge!" he said in alarm, "what are you doing here?" Sonic's eyes fell upon Knuckles.

"Hey Knuckles, what happened? You kiss the Master Emerald too hard?"

Rouge couldn't hold Knuckles back any longer, her hands flying into the air as he leapt from the sofa and charged at Sonic, snarling. A blur of black zipped in front of Sonic, and Shadow appeared between them, driving his foot into Knuckles' abdomen. Knuckles toppled backwards, and Rouge ran forward to catch him by the shoulders.

"Shadow!" cried Sonic, running forward to where Knuckles lay supported by Rouge, "what did you do that for?"

"He was going to hurt you," said Shadow, and Rouge thought she heard a mote of worry in his tone.

"I can handle myself, Shadow!" snapped Sonic, turning to face Knuckles, "you okay, buddy?" he said, placing a hand on the red echidna's shoulder. Knuckles tried to wriggle away from Sonic's touch.

"Don't you 'buddy' me, Sonic!" barked Knuckles, but Rouge could see genuine concern on Sonic's face, and wondered how this could be the same mean-spirited hedgehog that Knuckles described to her earlier. Her curiosity turned to fear when Sonic rose to his feet, panic-stricken.

"Where's Tails?" he asked.

"Somewhere you can't hurt him," said Knuckles.

"What? Me… hurt Tails? How could you think… I would never…" his voice trailed away weakly, and Rouge knew she had never seen Sonic seen so pathetic. She honestly thought Big Blue was about to cry. More alarming, Shadow watched Sonic with eyes heavy with concern.

"Wait, Knuckles," said Rouge, her intuition kicking in, "there's something fishy going on here." Approaching Sonic cautiously, she met his eyes. "You have no idea what we're talking about do you?"

"Rouge, you've been tricked," said Shadow, "Robotnik's created copies of us as part of some mad scheme."

"Let's assume I believe you, and I'm not saying I do," said Rouge, "How can I be sure you're not the copies?"

"You know there's no way we can prove that to you," said Shadow, "those copies have all our memories. There's nothing we can say that they wouldn't already know."

"Never mind that," Sonic interrupted, "what's happened to my little brother?"

"You've been hitting him, you bastard!" snapped Knuckles, and Rouge had to hold him down to prevent him leaping up again, "you've been hurting your best friend, and now you try to deny it!"

"Knuckles, please!" Rouge begged, seeing the horror-stricken look on Sonic's face, "Sonic, if what you're telling us is true, then Knuckles is right, you… I mean, the copy, he's been treating Tails like a punch bag."

She expected Sonic to freak, to fly into a rage fierce enough to make Shadow tremble. But Sonic slumped wearily to the sofa, holding his head in his hands.

"This is all my fault," he said with a cracked voice.

"What do you mean?" asked Shadow.

"I… sometimes I get angry with people. Like, _really_ angry. It's only in my head, and it's so brief, like a split second where I just want to scream at someone to shut up, or else I want to…"

"Hit them?" asked Knuckles, still fuming as Rouge helped him to his feet, "That someone include Tails?" Sonic bowed his head with eyes tightly closed, and Rouge could see tears forming at the sides of his eyes. Before Rouge could say anything, Shadow sat down next to him on the sofa, taking Sonic into his arms and resting the blue hedgehog's head against his chest. As the dark hedgehog gently stroked Sonic's head, Rouge's mind did several double-takes. She had expected Sonic and Shadow to be screwing around behind everyone's backs, but the comforting and affectionate display in front of her couldn't have been further from her sordid imaginings.

"Sonic," said Shadow, lifting Sonic's head to look into his glistening eyes, "this is _not_ your fault. Robotnik's twisted those copies into parodies of us. If you need to blame someone, blame him."

"But-"

"You get angry? So what, we all do. The important thing is you didn't act on that anger. You are in control, don't let that faker make you think otherwise."

"You're right," said Sonic, regaining his composure, "thank you, Shadow. I'm glad you know how to stay level-headed. I'm just going to pieces."

"Well, that's why I'm here, Sonic. Just keep it together, okay?"

The two hedgehogs sat staring into each other's eyes, and Rouge wondered what they were thinking. Most of all she noticed their smiles, Sonic had a warm and loving smile, like someone greeting a long-lost friend, and Shadow was… well he _was_ smiling, something she didn't think possible.

"Ahem…" coughed Knuckles, "as touching as this is, shouldn't we be worrying about those copies, if they exist."

"Knuckles is right," said Rouge, "we need to- oh, hold on a sec." Her phone began to jingle in her pocket. Taking it out, she saw Amy's smiling face on the screen, and turned it onto speakerphone.

"Amy, what's happening?"

"Rouge!" came Amy's frantic voice from the phone, "turn on the news, quickly! Eggman's attacking the city!"

~o~

* * *

_"This is Bob Barker of Channel 5 News reporting live from downtown Station Square, where an army of Badniks has descended upon the city. No doubt this is the work of the notorious Dr. Ivo Robotnik, otherwise known as Dr. Eggman."_

_"I can see a crowd of civilians fleeing the main square, it looks like... there seems to be only minor injuries, but who knows how many people have been cut off from safety by the Badniks."_

_"What's that? We're getting reports just in that Sonic the Hedgehog has been sighted attacking the Badnik force. Do we have footage? Roll it."_

_"This is an amazing sight folks. Those robots don't stand a chance against Sonic's devastating speed. This could be over before it's begun."_

_"I've just heard in my ear that Shadow the Hedgehog has been sighted approaching from the other side of the Badnik force. Can we cut to that? No? Okay, it seems we don't have any footage of the reclusive black hedgehog, who's still wanted by Central City Police in relation to some of their investigations. We honestly don't know if he's here to help or make things worse."_

_"Hopefully Sonic can-"_

_**TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. PLEASE STAND BY**_

_"Bwo ho ho ho ho ho! People of Mobius, hear my voice. I, Doctor Eggman, have come to bring order to Mobius. As I speak, legions of Badniks are descending on Station Square. If the people surrender, they will be unharmed. If they choose to resist, I'll raze the city to the ground. Not even Sonic will be able to stop me!"_

_"Oh, yeah? How about we put that to the test?"_

_"Sonic? What are you doing here?"_

_"You're little game is over, Doctor."_

_"Shadow as well? Oh no! How will I ever... woops, facing the wrong camera... how will I ever defeat the two most powerful hedgehogs on the planet! I suppose you're here to try and stop me."_

_"We're not here to stop you, Egg-face!"_

_"Oh really, whatever do you mean?"_

_"We're here to KILL you."_

~o~

* * *

"What are you talking about?" said Eggman, who sat behind the controls of a large silver mech shaped like a bloated human without a head, "That's not part of the script! You were supposed to say 'join me.' Stick to the plan!"

The fake Shadow merely smirked. Behind him, the fake Sonic stuck his tongue out at the Badniks swarming the main plaza and surrounding them. The floating egg-shaped cameras Eggman had set up to record his 'victory' hovered around them silently.

"We are sticking to the plan, Doctor," said Shadow, " _Our_ plan, the one that starts with your death!"

With deliberate slow footsteps Shadow advanced on the Doctor, his crimson eyes never shifting beneath the fierce scowl on his brow.

"So, like that is it?" said Eggman, "Well I created you, you miserable robot, and I can destroy you just as easily!" Reaching down into his cockpit, he flicked open a small compartment nestled between the dizzying array of buttons of switches, revealing a large-red button. With childlike glee he jabbed the thick button fully in with his index finger.

Nothing happened. Shadow continued to slowly march towards him, his smirk growing into a manic grin. Again Eggman pressed the button, but Shadow kept coming.

"What? Why isn't this working?" said Eggman, frantically pounding the button with his fist, "Shut down! I command you to shut down!"

The midday sunlight turned to crimson as blood-red light began to swirl around Shadow's hands, crackling like lightning. Eggman's panic turned to horror at the sight of Shadow's increasingly wicked smile.

"Badniks, stop this maniac!"

A whirlwind of blue swirled around the plaza, sending howling wind thundering through Eggman's ears. When the dust settled, a rain of metal scraps covered the cobblestones, the aftermath of a multi-Badnik pile-up, with Sonic idly brushing off his fur in the centre. The light surrounding Shadow's hands had become blinding, almost engulfing his body.

"No! Get back!" said Eggman, piloting his mech backwards with awkward, lumbering footsteps, "I created you, I am your master. Obey me! Obey!"

Shadow leapt into the air above Eggman, landing on the edge of his cockpit. His grin had now become a rictus of murderous hatred.

"CHAOS BLAST!"

A wave of crimson energy surged from Shadow's hands, completely enveloping the mech. Eggman feebly put his hands up to cover his face, disappearing entirely inside the tsunami of Chaos energy. With a deafening crack the blast detonated, sending cobbles stones flying in all directions like bullets, knocking market stalls into pieces and shattering windows in all the buildings surrounding the plaza. When the light faded, a deep crater lay in the spot where Eggman stood, glowing with crimson light, black smoke pouring out into the blue midday sky.

Looking at the destruction he had wrought, Shadow threw his head back and laughed. A sinister and deep laugh becoming ecstatic. Sonic put his arm around him, and joined in with a high-pitched, but no less malicious giggle.

Regaining his composure, Shadow took hold of one the cameras lying on the floor. With a sharp slap the unit sprang back to life. He handed the unit to Sonic, who gladly took the role of cameraman.

"People of Mobius!" said Shadow with an authoritative tone, "My name is Shadow the Hedgehog. I have come to bring great change to this world. A new era is dawning, and I am its master."

"Hey, what about me?" said Sonic, turning the camera to his face and flashing his pearly-whites before spinning it back to face Shadow.

"Oh yes. I'm sure you all know Sonic, the great hero of Mobius?" Shadow continued. As he spoke he stared directly into the camera with dark eyes, his voice oozing with contempt, "He has saved your lives more times than you can imagine, yet you _miserable wretches_ give him barely a fraction of what he deserves. Well, no more. It's time to collect his due."

"The corrupt governments of the world will fall. The institutions that oppress the people will be shattered and swept aside. I will tear down this world, and make it a paradise for my beloved Sonic, and for any others we deem worthy to sit at our feet." Shadow gesticulated wildly in time with his speech, his tone swelling with grandeur.

"Those of you sitting in your ivory towers think yourself safe from us? Nowhere is safe. Our power cannot be denied. This city will be the proving ground, the sacrifice required to demonstrate our intent."

Sonic span the camera back to a close-up of his face.

"Basically," he said in a mocking tone, "You're all going to die. Sorry about that." As he tossed the camera across the plaza, the two hedgehog's embraced, unable to contain their sinister mirth, before turning their eyes towards the city.

~o~

* * *

_"Are we back? We are? This is Bob Barker of Channel 5 News. Breaking News: Doctor Eggman is dead! Murdered by Sonic and Shadow, who have now moved on to attacking the city in an insane spree! The main square is already in ruins, there are fires raging everywhere, people are... oh Chaos, they're dead... they're all... ahem, there's been some casualties here, emergency services are..."_

_"Get Down!"_

_"A Chaos Blast just hit the central bank building. Oh no, it's... it's just gone... I don't know what to... what's that? We can see Sonic further down the street. What's he doing? Oh crap, he's seen us, he's coming this way!"_

_"Look out!"_

_**TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. PLEASE STAND BY**_

~o~

* * *

In a small cottage on the outskirts of town, where the urban sprawl gave way to rambling hills and lush woodlands, Amy rose gripped the edges of the sofa, where she sat in a state of shock. Her mouth hung open limply at the news broadcast on the TV, where shaky camera footage caught glimpses of a whirlwind of destruction she thought had been wrought by Sonic & Shadow. Beside her sat Tails, recovered from his injuries, but in a similar stupor. Her friend Cream had to be taken away from the room by her mother Vanilla, the events unfolding proving too upsetting for her. Amy herself struggled to hold back the tears, her heart almost broken from the sight of her beloved hero causing so much hurt.

"This is horrible!" she wailed, "why are they doing this?"

"Don't you listen?" said Tails, "Eggman admitted they're his robots! He must have used Chaos energy to duplicate Sonic & Shadow into evil doppelgangers. It explains why my analyser went crazy near Sonic, plus his erratic behaviour."

"But even Eggman wouldn't want this!" said Amy, not taking her eyes from the screen, "He doesn't just kill people for the sake of it!"

"It seems Eggman's plan backfired again, for the last time." Tails scratched his chin contemplatively, suddenly smiling like a light bulb appeared over his head. "Wait a minute, if those robots are powered by Chaos Energy, that means-" The little fox leapt to his feet and dashed towards the door, finally breaking Amy's eyes away from the TV.

"Tails! Where are you going?"

"To my workshop! If the real Sonic doesn't show up soon, then someone needs to stop those monsters, guess it's gonna have to be me." With a determined look on his face, he turned on his heel and headed through the door.

"Come back!" cried Amy, walking quickly after him, "You don't stand a chance against Sonic."

"I'll use the one thing that gives me an edge over him," Tails called back to her, "my brains!"

Before she could say another word, Tails had begun spinning his namesakes, gliding into a quick dash along the winding suburban lane.

"Wait! You'll just get hurt again!" shouted Amy, collapsing into a defeated sigh, "This day gets worse and worse by the minute," she said aloud, before jogging after him.

~o~

* * *

"Well, I guess that proves you were telling the truth," said Knuckles, failing to disguise his still lingering anger.

"You're damn right it does!" said Sonic, pointing a finger firmly towards the red echidna's face, "We need to get down there, fast! Come on Shadow! Shadow?"

Shadow stood transfixed by the TV. His doppelganger's words echoed in his mind, and stabbed him in the heart. The words had been so familiar to him at one point in his life. After surviving falling from the ARK, he had tried to keep Maria's promise, to help the people of the Mobius. But the people didn't want his help. They ostracized and spurned him, too concerned with their own selfish pleasures. They made war on each other, and spread intolerance everywhere they went. He had the power to tear society down and create a better world, and he was prepared to do it.

But something changed, not so long ago. He began to pity his fellow Mobian, even empathising with their suffering. He realised that pragmatism and compassion were not mutually exclusive, and that he could use his powers for the good of all Mobians, not just those he deemed worthy. He couldn't tell when this change occurred, but he was glad that it had.

"You okay, Shads?" said Sonic, who stood in front of him, clicking his fingers in his face and staring with confused green eyes.

"I was just… thinking."

"You need to stop doing that so much," said Sonic, giving him a sly wink, "We really need to head out before those crazy copies turn Station Square into rubble."

"You're right, but I can't Chaos Control right now," said Shadow, "I've overstrained myself. I need to rest up."

Sonic broke into his notorious grin.

"That's okay Shads," he said, taking Shadow firmly by the hand, "I fancy doing it the old-fashioned way."

With a rush of wind Sonic dragged Shadow by the hand out the front door and down the street. Shadow adjusted himself to get his skates moving along the tarmac, and the two hedgehogs sped along hand-in-hand towards the centre of the city, where a tall column of smoke rose into the afternoon sky.

~o~


	10. X - Fakers

** X – Fakers **

"Oh, no, please no. Sweet Gaia, this can't be happening."

Fear crept along Sonic's spine as hot air swept across his face. Piles of smashed stone, broken glass and wood lay all around him, fingers of flame licked at the sky, and water sprayed from burst water mains and toppled hydrants, evaporating in to clouds of wispy white moisture that swirled through the intense heat. Only the large circular fountain, its statues bisected at sheer angles, gave any clue that the devastation before him was the main plaza of Station Square. Sonic thought he saw dark familiar shapes scattered here and there, outlined by dust. He turned his head away, unable or unwilling to confirm if they were bodies.

Sonic's footsteps became heavier and slower, his head becoming overwhelmed by the chaos around him. Shadow had taken the lead, and Sonic only moved because of Shadow's tight grip on his hand.

"Why have you stopped, Sonic?" he asked, turning to face the morose blue hedgehog, "We need to hurry!"

"I can't believe I'm capable of this..." Sonic moaned, "My abilities did this, I caused this..." He trailed off, closing his eyes and holding his head in his hands. Everything his doppelganger had done, he feared he could do at any time, if he lost control, if he let his emotions get out of hand. He didn't know how Shadow handled the situation so well, but he didn't care, he just wanted the black hedgehog to hold him again and give him strength.

Instead, Sonic leapt about a foot into the air when Shadow's leg impacted into his crotch. A short sharp shock turned to crippling agony in his lower abdomen, and he toppled to the floor, squeezing his arms between his legs and wincing.

"Argh! What the fuck, Shadow?"

"Pull yourself together, Faker!" barked Shadow, his eyes blazing, "I can't win this with you whining in my ear all the time!" Sonic squinted through the pain.

"I thought you didn't like seeing me get hurt. I thought you wanted to protect me," he pleaded. Shadow looked like he was about to explode.

"I do!" he snapped, "I want to protect you _because_ you're strong, _because_ you're the hero of this world, and someone needs to keep you that way. But that doesn't mean I'm going to mollycoddle you if you can't keep it together. A little 'tough love' won't do you any harm." He relinquished his anger, looking more like a stern parent giving a lecture. He extended a hand for him to grasp, which Sonic did, lifted up easily by Shadow's strength.

"Face it, Sonic," he said, gripping him firmly by the shoulders, "if we were fighting anyone else, you'd have kicked their butt into orbit by now. You're letting this doppelganger get to you, to make you think that it's somehow a... a mirror image of you, but it's not. It's taken the tiny selfish part of you that exists inside every Mobian and twisted it into a sick parody. Please Sonic; show me that you're better than that. Be the hero again, like you should be."

Sonic knew Shadow spoke the truth by the fire now raging in his belly. So what if he was selfish and reckless sometimes, so what if he got angry with his friends in his head? That didn't matter compared to all the times he had stood up for them, been there to support them, and all the people he didn't even know, when they needed him.

"I'm ready to fight, Shadow!" he said, grinning, "It's time to prove there's only one true Sonic the Hedgehog!"

"That's more like it! Let's go."

"Shadow?"

"What is it now?"

"I just wanted to say, I think that if anyone's a hero right now, it's you," said Sonic in a gentle tone, blushing slightly. Shadow smiled warmly, his harsh visage softening, and Sonic sighed, overcome with desire for his former rival. _You're my hero,_ he wanted to say.

"Thanks, I guess," said Shadow, trying his best to resume his usual stoicism, with limited success.

A loud crash rang out behind where the two hedgehogs stood, and they span around to face the source of the cacophony. From a side street several cars careened along the road, barrelling over and scattering metal debris across the plaza, their outer frames crumpling from the force. Behind them a cobalt wind soared across the square, dissipating to reveal a familiar blue hedgehog, who jumped up and down on the spot like a child eagerly awaiting a birthday present.

"Oh hi!" he called to Sonic and Shadow, who stood with their fists up, ready for anything, "so glad you could join the party!" Sonic pointed an accusing finger at the grinning doppelganger.

"The party's over for you, pal," said the real Sonic.

"Give up and we'll let you live," said Shadow. Sonic thought his ears needed cleaning out; earlier Shadow had nearly stabbed his copy to death in Rouge's kitchen, and now he was offering an olive branch. Sonic wondered if Shadow's copy bothered the Ultimate Lifeform as much as his own bothered him. It would explain why he was being so calm, faced only with the fake Sonic.

"Nu-uh," said the fake Sonic, wagging his finger, "I'm having way too much fun. Pretty good to smash stuff up with reckless abandon, gotta say." Sonic's blood rose with every word the other him spoke. Somehow, hearing his own voice saying these things stoked his rage greater than any taunts from other villains.

"You think this is _fun?!_ " he spat through gritted teeth, "You're hurting innocent people!"

"Pshah!" said Fake Sonic, dismissing him with a wave of his hand, "How is it my fault if they're too slow to get out of the way?"

"You stop this now!" shouted Sonic, "That's not how I do things!"

"Oh please, did you hit your head or something? We share the same memories, buddy. We just love to tear through the streets, not a care in the world about the havoc we cause. I find it really freeing, I know you do too."

Shadow had his arm extended across Sonic's chest, and fought to hold the furious blue hedgehog back.

"Shut your mouth," said Sonic, "or I swear –"

"Sonic, calm down!" Shadow whispered tersely, looking back over his shoulder whilst keeping one eye on the fake Sonic, "all those things that have been getting to you. He knows them too. He's trying to make you lose your cool by pushing your buttons. Don't let him get under your skin."

Before Sonic could reply, Fake Sonic dashed over to where they stood, shoving Shadow to one side. The black hedgehog landed on his front on the hard cobblestones, colliding with a large stone which left him cradling his head. Fake Sonic took hold of Sonic's chin with one hand, wrapping his other arm around Sonic's waist. His face smouldered with predatory intent, and Sonic felt his stomach turning. The doppelganger felt completely organic, and he found it hard to imagine it could be a robot underneath that.

"Mmm, I am _cute_ when I'm angry," said Fake Sonic, bringing his face uncomfortably close to the real Sonic, who could smell his own hot breath across his face, "What I wouldn't give to get with that rockin' bod of yours. I suppose it's my body really, so I can do what I want with it. I've always wondered what it would be like to _do_ myself." Fake Sonic lips were millimetres from Sonic's own cringing mouth, and Sonic desperately tried to pull his face away.

"Let's do it right here, right now!" said Fake Sonic, "Come on, I know you want it."

Sonic now squirmed so fiercely he managed to slip free of his doppelganger's grip, pushing him back across the stones.

"Get off me, pervert!" cried Sonic, "I wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot pole, you maniac! You've got the blood of innocents on your hands!"

"Innocent?" came a dark voice from nearby, "Ha! That's a bad joke, Faker!"

Standing atop the broken remains of the fountain, the fake Shadow stood with his arms folded tightly, scowling down at all three hedgehogs. The real Shadow had staggered back to his feet, and met his copy's fierce glare with one of his own.

"Faker?" said Shadow, "That's rich coming from you. You're not even good enough to be my fake."

"I'll make you eat those words," said Fake Shadow, leaping down to stand nose to nose with Shadow. Sonic marvelled at Shadow's unflinching stare. If he was unsettled by his copy, he showed no sign of it.

"You have the same mind as me," said the real Shadow, "You know this isn't what Maria wanted; she wanted you to protect this world, to save it."

"Look what kind of world it is!" said Fake Shadow, backing away from Shadow and making grandiose gestures like he had done on camera, "War, disease, & poverty everywhere you look. Oppression of anyone who dares to be different. These people aren't innocent at all. Under our rule we would put an end to all suffering and despair."

"Look around you, Faker. What is this if not suffering and despair?"

"For a new world to arise, the old one must first be burnt down. Prower made you so naïve, didn't he? He wants to keep the old world as it is, so he can profit from it."

"Prower?" said Shadow with confusion, "you idiot. Tails didn't build us, we're real. You're the copies, built by Robotnik for who knows what."

" _Tails_ is Miles Prower?" asked Fake Sonic in astonishment, "that little creep! I should've have killed him when I had the chance!"

"Touch him again and I swear I'll kill you," Sonic said in a tone dark enough to draw Shadow's attention.

"You won't do that, Sonic the Knockoff," said Fake Sonic, an arrogant smirk across his face that made Sonic seethe, "I know you too well. We just hurt people indirectly through our crazy antics, but hey, who cares about other people? Sonic comes first, right?" Sonic shook with rage, his whole body tensing up. This mirror image, as Shadow had called it, made Sonic want to burst into flames.

"Enough of this!" said the fake Shadow, "we have work to do, and I tire of your presence. Prepare yourselves for oblivion."

Fake Shadow's hands crackled with red lightning, and like a reflection Shadow's own hand surged in time. A Chaos Spear surged forward from the doppelganger, and both Sonic's leapt in opposite directions to avoid it. Shadow stood firm, sweeping his hands across in front of him, dissipating the spear with a loud bang and flash of crimson light. Sonic looked up to see Shadow unharmed and trading blows with the other black hedgehog. Looking around for signs of his own copy, he span around when he heard a familiar sound, like the world's smallest helicopter.

"Oh no, not here. Please don't let it be-"

"Sonic!" came the sweet voice of Tails. Sonic caught sight of the little fox hovering above the wrecked cars. His heart leapt into his mouth, and panic overtook him. He didn't want his adoptive brother anywhere that _thing_ that called itself Sonic.

"Tails!" he cried, noticing a strange echo to his voice. Fake Sonic stood over him, eyes fixed upon the fox, having spoken at the same time as Sonic. Sonic shoved him aside and dashed over to where Tails landed on the cobblestones.

"Tails, get out of here! It's not safe."

"No, Sonic," said Tails, fixing Sonic with a fearsome glare, "I don't know which one of you is real, if any of you are, but I'm putting a stop to this madness once and for all. The charade has gone on long enough" He held up a familiar bundle of wires with metal bits attached.

"Whoa!" said Sonic, pointing "That's the Chaos Energy Redistribution Matrix!" Tails nearly fell over in surprise.

"Okay, I know _you're_ not the real Sonic. He would have never got the name of one my devices right."

"Me and that thing have some history, little buddy. I'm gonna have a heck of a story for you when this is over," said Sonic, smiling warmly, glad to see his dearest friend after what seemed like forever. He desperately yearned to throw his arms around him, but he knew now was not the time. The sound of footsteps closing in on him put him on high alert.

"Tails!" said Amy Rose, standing behind Sonic and trying to catch her breath, "Thank goodness I found you! You scared me half to death running off like that." Her eyes lit up when she saw Sonic standing next to him.

"Sonic!" she squealed, "Please say that's the real you!"

"The one and only, Ames," he said, grinning and puffing out his chest, "accept no substitutions."

"What on Mobius has been going on?" she said, regaining her breath.

"It's a long story. I'll be glad to tell you all about it later, but right now –"

"Sonic, wait!" interrupted Amy, "I need to ask you something."

"What is it?" said Sonic, slightly wary.

"You're not really gay, are you? It's just that duplicate messing with us, right?" Sonic blinked several times, stunned by Amy's failure to grasp the situation.

"Amy!" he cried, throwing his hands up, "For Pete's sake, is now the best time?"

Before Amy could answer another loud crash rang out. The two Shadows smashed through the remains of a building, crumbling it further into rubble. Sonic rounded on Tails, voice filled with urgency.

"Whatever you're gonna do Tails, you better do it fast! I don't know how long Shadow can hold out." Behind him the two black hedgehogs darted around the square, crashing into each other and firing off Chaos Energy like fireworks. Sonic was really more nervous about his own copy, who had once again vanished from sight.

"It's simple really," said Tails, "At least two of you are using Chaos energy to pose as Sonic and Shadow. Once I activate this device, the Chaos energy will be drained, disabling the imposters!"

A flash of blue shot into Sonic's vision, and Fake Sonic appeared next to Tails, striking him across the face with a deafening slap. The Matrix fell from Tails' hands as his body recoiled from the force of the blow. Sonic stood frozen in place with shock at the sight of himself hitting Tails. Before the device hit the floor, Fake Sonic swept his foot up to kick it into the distance. Sonic tried to follow it with his eyes, but it disappeared into the rubble of the surrounding buildings.

"Don't try any of your tricks here, Traitor!" shouted Fake Sonic, seizing Tails by the throat, "I trusted you for years, and all this time you were plotting against me!" Sonic leapt forward to help his friend, but a slender black arm seized around his neck, dragging him backwards. Fake Shadow pulled Sonic into a choking grip, another arm tightly around his waist, and Sonic could only reach vainly for his little brother.

"Don't try anything, fool," said Fake Shadow, "Prower's got this coming to him."

"I took you under my wing, looked after you like my own flesh and blood, and this is how you repay me?" Fake Sonic continued, pressing Tails down by his neck against the floor. The fox began to gasp short choking breaths, clawing futilely at Fake Sonic's arm.

"No!" shouted Sonic, thrashing against the fake Shadow's insane strength, "leave him alone!"

"Sonic…" Tails spluttered, "help… me."

"I loved you, Tails!" shouted Fake Sonic, his voice quavering, "And you spat it back in my face! You did this to us, you ruined everything we had, and you're going to pay the price." He began to press down even harder on Tails' neck, and the little fox's face began to drain of all colour, his slender arms feebly trying to prise the fake Sonic's arm away before slumping to his side. Sonic himself pulled against Fake Shadow with all his might, his heart thundering in his chest. Tears streamed down his muzzle as he stared into his friend's fading blue eyes.

"No! NO!" he wailed, "Please don't do this!" From the corner of his vision he saw the terrified figure of Amy calling to someone just out of sight.

"Shadow!" she cried frantically, "Shadow, what are you doing? Don't just stand there, do something!"

Tails eyes began to close, and he reached for Sonic with a weak, trembling arm.

"Sonic…" he gasped, almost inaudibly over Amy's shrieking, "I…. Lo…." Sonic reached for him, anguish flooding over his whole body, legs kicking at the air to no avail. A deafening wail issued forth from his mouth as Tails eyes closed, his head slumping against the floor.

"Nooooooooooo!"

~o~

* * *

_He remembers pounding against the glass, knowing full well it wouldn't break. The capsule was designed to resist gravitational forces of up to 3G; his desperate strikes wouldn't even scratch it._

_Why was she doing this? Why didn't she set the controls to a timer and join him? Did she not love him? Did he not love her enough?_

_"No! NO!" he shouted, his voice cracking, "Please don't do this!"_

_The young girl stood next to the large control panel, her golden hair shining against the backdrop of stars outside the ship. Turning to face him, her turquoise eyes glistened with tears._

_"I'm sorry, Shadow," she said, her voice plaintive and reticent, "it's you they want. I have to get you to safety."_

_"Then come with me!" he begged, "I can keep you safe. I'll protect you and… and I'll even take you to a hospital to help your condition." He realised how foolish he sounded, the desperation in his voice. There was nowhere on Mobius with medical technology like that of the ARK, and even if there was, they wouldn't be able to synthesise the cure from his blood, not without the Professor's expertise. He would watch her waste away in intensive care, the one thing he was created to prevent._

_"It's too late for that," she said. As if in answer to her, the door to the evacuation bay slid open with a hiss, and several Mobians, dressed in black military uniforms and holding assault rifles, stormed into the room. He couldn't see any of their faces, covered as they were by black visors. 'Cowards, all of them. If you're going to shoot me,' he thought, 'you look me in the eyes when you do it.'_

_"Step away from the console!" the lead GUN soldier shouted, brandishing his weapon in Maria's direction, "Get down on the floor!" Maria continued to stare into Shadow's eyes, seemingly ignoring the soldier's orders. Panic crept into him as he realised how close to harm she was putting herself._

_"Maria," he cried, "Do as they say!"_

_"Shadow," she said in an otherworldly calm, "Promise me this."_

_"Get down, or we will shoot!" the soldier screamed at Maria. The others knelt down, aiming their guns straight at her._

_"The people down there on that world," she continued, "Keep them happy, keep them safe. Promise you'll do this for me." He put his hand against the glass, desperately yearning to hold her hand again._

_"I p-promise, Maria," he stammered, "I promise!" He put a hand to his cheek, and realised he had begun to cry. He knew what she was about to do, and he felt his heart breaking._

_"This is your last warning!" shouted the GUN soldier, "We will shoot if you continue!"_

_"Maria, please. It's not too late. Just do as they say!" He knew he was powerless to prevent it, but he couldn't let it happen, he had to save her, anyway he could. Maria took one final look into his eyes, before turning and slamming her hand onto a large red button on the console._

_"I'm sorry, Shadow."_

POD LAUNCH IN 5…

_"Open fire!"_

_The deafening shots reverberated through the chamber, and Shadow's vision turned to slow-motion. The girl's immaculate blue dress became stained with red, her face locked into agony. Her body fell backwards against the console, before she threw herself forward; arms outstretched, and fell face first onto the cold metal floor in front of him. Shadow's mouth dropped open, and a guttural wail erupted from him as he clawed against the glass._

_"Nooooooooooo!"_

4…

_"Shut that launch sequence down, Private! I want him out of there!" bellowed the GUN soldier. Another soldier crept over to the console, trying to avoid the trail of blood he had been party to._

3…

_Maria lifted her head, but it was clear it took all her effort to do so. Her golden hair was matted with red, her already pale skin even paler. Feebly she reached towards Shadow's capsule, barely touching the glass with her fingertips. Shadow put his fingers against the glass, imagining his fingers intertwining with hers._

2…

_"Sayonara," she gasped, "Shadow the Hedgehog." Her hand slid down the glass as her head slumped to the floor, and Shadow knew she was gone._

1…

_"Maria…" he whispered, his face choked with tears._

0\. POD LAUNCH COMMENCING.

_With a deafening roar the inside of the ARK vanished from his view, replaced by the cold stars. Thrown across the capsule by the force, he fell aimlessly against the glass, his tears streaming across the smooth cold surface._

_"Maria… I promise. I promise. I promise…"_

~o~

* * *

"...I promise."

Shadow stood frozen to the ground. That one moment of his life, the one that defined who he was, came rushing back to him with terrifying force. In front of him Sonic thrashed against the grip of Shadow's copy, screaming and crying as the other Sonic slowly choked the life out of his best friend.

The familiarity of the situation paralysed Shadow with fear; Sonic was being made to watch his most beloved companion be killed in front of him, powerless to prevent it. Even the way Sonic howled with sorrow and rage reminded Shadow of himself, all those years ago.

His trance-like state came crashing down when a shrill voice rang in his ear.

"Shadow!" shrieked Amy, "Snap out of it! We need your help! Tails is almost... please, save him!"

The haze of his stupor chased away, Shadow became filled with a sense of purpose, and his heart beat furiously in his chest.

"No! I won't let it happen again, I won't!"

Shadow surged forward, Chaos power coursing through his skates and propelling him towards Fake Sonic. A swift backhand to the face left the copy reeling, and another strike to the inner elbow released his grip on Tails. The little fox gasped for air like a drowning man reaching the surface, and Sonic himself gasped in agonised relief.

Shadow directed all his power to his fist, striking the fake Sonic with the force of a freight train. The blue fake soared across the plaza, impacting into a wrecked car with a solid crunch and sending it cartwheeling away. Shadow smirked, laughing inside. Unable to bring himself to harm the real Sonic in any meaningful way, he drew some satisfaction from venting his frustration on the facsimile. It helped that he found the fake Sonic even more annoying than the real one.

"Not so fast!" shouted the fake Shadow from behind him. The black hedgehog's duplicate still gripped onto the struggling Sonic, and snarled at Shadow with barely concealed anger, "If you've got the same mind as me, then I know how much you care about this one. Surrender, or I snap his neck."

Sonic's eyes became fearful, and Shadow felt the pangs in his heart which had plagued him relentlessly the past few days. But he knew he couldn't show weakness, not in front of this enemy. He turned his back on the two hedgehogs, folding his arms and sniffing haughtily.

"Do it then," he said, "I don't care."

"Shadow!" Sonic cried.

"What?" said the fake Shadow.

"I don't care what you do," Shadow continued, "I would have killed him by now, not wasted my breath making empty threats."

"I'll do it!" shouted Fake Shadow, "One more word and I'll-"

"You can't do it, can you?" asked Shadow, before laughing, "You're pathetic. You can't even bring yourself to hurt the 'fake' Sonic. I bet you don't even know why you care so much."

"I... I love him," said Fake Shadow, sounding like he was reading from a script, "He makes me feel-"

"You. Feel. NOTHING!" bellowed Shadow, "You're just reading from a twisted set of instructions, because you're the fake! Nothing you feel is real!"

For a moment the fake Shadow hesitated, and Sonic seized his chance. He drove his elbow into Fake Shadow's gut, making him lean forward with a gasp. Taking hold of his momentum, Sonic lifted Fake Shadow onto his shoulder and tossed him over it. The duplicate landed square on his back, and Sonic jumped into the air, landing on Fake Shadow's face with both feet. The copy screamed and held his face with his hands, before rolling on the floor moaning.

Sonic dashed over to Tails, lifting him off the floor and sweeping him into a close hug. The little fox clung on for dear life, trembling.

"Tails!" said Sonic, tears of joy streaming down his muzzle, "I'm so glad you're alright. I thought... I thought I was going to lose you."

"Sonic, I was so scared," said Tails, "He hurt me, he made me think you'd gone bad, he... he..." It was too much for the fox, who wept without shame into Sonic's fur. Shadow watched Sonic gently stroking the boy's head, and a warm feeling overtook him, marvelling at Sonic's obvious love for the boy expressed as tenderness.

From behind him the moaning copy began to stagger to his feet, and in the distance Shadow could see the fake Sonic crawling out of the wreckage, battered and bleeding.

"Sonic," said Shadow with urgency, "you need to get Tails out of here."

"You're right," said Sonic, rising to his feet with Tails still clinging to him, "Amy, can you take him?"

"Me?" said Amy, "I can't carry him. I'm not strong enough."

"Did somebody say strong?" a gruff voice sounded from nearby. Everyone span around to see Knuckles standing above them atop a pile of rubble. Next to him fluttered Rouge, a look of determination on her face.

"Knuckles!" Sonic beamed, "I've never been so glad to see you in my life!"

"I love you, too," said Knuckles sarcastically, prompting a smirk from Rouge, "This is another fine mess you've caused, Sonic."

"I'd send one back at ya, Knux, but I need you take Tails and Amy to safety."

"Fine," said Knuckles, taking hold of the shattered fox cub, "I'll take them to your place."

"That's not far enough," said Shadow, "The city isn't safe while those doppelgangers live. Head for Emerald Hill and wait for us there. Rouge?"

"Yes, hon?" said the bat.

"Get GUN on the line. Call for an immediate evacuation of the city. Also, get some teams to set up a perimeter around the plaza, in case the copies try to escape."

"Already done, sugar," she said, winking, "I'm always prepared for trouble."

"Then you've come to the right place!" said Fake Sonic, who stood nearby. Covered in dirt, bruises and cuts, he still smirked his arrogant grin. The fake Shadow was now on his feet, dried blood caked around his muzzle, his eyes blazing with anger.

"I'll take Sonic, you take Shadow," said Sonic to Shadow, "That way we can be sure we're each fighting a fake. This fighting yourself business sure is confusing."

"Are you sure you're up to fighting him?" asked Shadow, placing a gentle hand on Sonic's shoulder, "Just remember, he's nothing like you. He's just someone's bad joke."

"Looks like I don't have a choice," said Sonic. The fake Sonic charged towards him, and Sonic ran to meet him. A whirlwind of blue span through the plaza, before one sonic boom crashed through the air, quickly followed by another as the two blue streaks disappeared into the distance.

Turning to face his doppelganger, Shadow cracked his knuckles.

"Now then, Faker," he said calmly, "It's time to finish this."

~o~


	11. XI - The Death of Sonic the Hedgehog

** XI – The Death of Sonic the Hedgehog **

Down a deserted street strewn with abandoned cars they came, shaking the windows of the buildings as they streaked by, dragging a storm of litter and debris behind them.

The two Sonic's ricocheted off each other as they sped along their furious charge. The real Sonic recognised every strike that came towards him, and every attack he threw was countered just as he would have done.

He skidded to a halt at a T-junction, and the doppelganger followed suit, stopping on a dime and letting the wake of dust sweep over him. Sonic stood at one end of the abandoned intersection, squaring off against his mirror image on the other side, like two cowboys at high noon waiting for the other to make the slightest movement.

The other Sonic blinked first, running on the spot until his legs became a red & white blur, dust billowing out behind him. Sonic recognised his super peel-out technique, and ran towards his foe. The fake Sonic surged forward with a deafening sonic boom, but Sonic was ready for him. Leaping forward he held his arm at right angles to his body, propelling it into Fake Sonic's neck. The blue doppelganger's legs soared into the air, and he bounced across the tarmac before skidding along his front, stopping only when he collided face first with a fire hydrant.

"That must have hurt," said Sonic. The fake rolled onto his back, glaring at Sonic through his bruised eye. "There's no point in fighting," said Sonic, "I already know everything you're going to do."

"You might know everything I'm going to do," sneered Fake Sonic through heavy breaths, "but that's not going to help you, since I know everything _you're_ going to do. Strange, isn't it?"

Sonic held out his hand to his prone copy.

"I don't want to fight you," he said, "I know there must be a good person in you, because I know how I am myself. Can't we work something out?"

Cautiously the other Sonic took a firm hold of Sonic's hand, and with both hands Sonic pulled him slowly to his feet. Fake Sonic stood resting his arm on Sonic's shoulder, his breaths becoming lighter. Sonic stared into his own green eyes, for the first time without fear. He wondered if there was a chance he could save this copy; he had to admit it would be pretty cool to have two Sonics around.

His wonder was smashed out of him by Fake Sonic's head impacting into his.

He staggered backward, clutching his throbbing face and squinting through his blurred vision. His disorientation deepened when he felt his legs being pulled out from under him. The back of his bounced against the hard road, thrusting a splitting headache into him.

"There's only one Sonic the Hedgehog!" his copy snarled, gripping Sonic's legs tightly around the ankles, "and I'm right here, baby!"

Fake Sonic began to pivot on the spot, spinning round and round, faster and faster. Sonic lifted off the floor, the world zooming around his head at blinding speed. The dizziness threatened to make him nauseous, and his head pounded in time to the rotations. The spinning abruptly ceased as the grip on his ankles was released, and he found himself soaring through the air.

With a crash he felt himself impact a glass window, ploughing through it without losing any momentum. A blizzard of glass span around him, cutting his skin in several places. Landing hard against a wooden floor, he smashed through several tables and chairs, dashing them into splinters, before stopping hard against a counter.

Pain thundered through every fibre of his body. He tried to lift his arms but they felt like granite. Fresh cuts leaked crimson and stained his fur. His breath became laboured and his vision dark. Squinting through his pain, he saw the silhouette of himself stepping through the yawning mouth of the broken window and into the ruined café.

"Prower's made you into a cream-puff," said Fake Sonic, "that little brat actually made a soft version of me because he couldn't handle a little tough love. Did he not realise how much it hurt me to do those things, even though they were necessary?"

"Shut... up," Sonic gasped, "You're nothing to him. Nothing but a fake."

"I've had enough of your lies, Faker."

Sonic coughed roughly, straining to lift his head to look his copy in the eyes.

"Do it then," he wheezed, "If you're going to kill me. I'm in a hurry." Fake Sonic grinned wickedly.

"Nice try, Faker, but you've forgotten who you're talking to. I know you wouldn't just give up, even after a beating like that." Sonic moaned; the doppelganger was right, even now he was thinking of a way to trip him up, even though his strength was failing.

"You don't fear a conventional death," Fake Sonic continued, walking around behind the counter to where Sonic couldn't see him, "but there is one way to go that I just know terrifies the life out of you. Why don't we give it a try?"

The sound of running water gushing from a tap shocked Sonic alert; he could hear a metal container rapidly filling, and his heart thundered in his chest, cold sweat matting his already damp fur.

"You... You wouldn't!" Sonic cried, "if you're anything like me at all, you wouldn't do that to anyone!" Reappearing in his view, the fake Sonic lifted Sonic by his underarms, his legs dragging limply across the floor.

"That's the difference between you and me, Faker," said Fake Sonic, "I totally would."

With a sharp tug he dragged Sonic quickly towards the overflowing sink, and Sonic's panic surged through him, his heartbeat deafening in his ears.

"No! Oh please, no!" he screamed, tears flooding down his face, "Not like this! Not like -"

Water flooded across his face as Fake Sonic thrust his head backwards into the large sink, holding him down by his neck. The cold water swirled across his vision as he thrashed against his attacker, his arms and legs flailing wildly to no avail. His mouth he kept tightly closed, but water forced its way into his nostrils, choking him. Above him his copy grinned sadistically, and inside his own head, he was screaming.

His vision began to grow dark, and he found himself unable to keep his mouth shut any longer. The water surged into his mouth, and he desperately tried to spurt it out. Choking, squirming as his lungs burned, he felt something brush against his right hand. He didn't know what it was, but it felt heavy. Seizing upon it, and with a sudden burst of strength induced by fear, he swung his arm up and struck Fake Sonic across the temple. The object did its job, and the crushing grip was released.

Sonic threw his head forward out the water, sending a torrent across the café. Gasping and choking, his throat burned as he retched and spat buckets of water onto the floor. Through his dripping quills overhanging his face he could see his copy still reeling, and the object that had saved him was a large metal cooking pot made from thick iron.

Without hesitating Sonic swung the pot again, smashing his foe backwards against the counter. Blazing with fury, he drove it straight into Fake Sonic's stunned face, sending him toppling over the wooden barrier and landing with a solid impact.

Leaping over the counter, Sonic stood over his fallen foe, who lay slumped against the counter, holding his face and moaning.

"I've won," Sonic said, his voice low and hoarse, "give up, Faker."

The doppelganger looked up at his nemesis and laughed.

"You think you're better than me?" he said, smirking, "that I'm the Faker? How can you say that with a straight face, when you keep holding yourself back?" Fake Sonic sat up, staring at Sonic with familiar eyes. "Accept it Sonic, I am everything you could be, everything you _should_ be, if you'd just let yourself."

"Shut up!" Sonic said, kicking the smirking hedgehog back to the floor and leaving tread marks in his fur, "look at what you've done! The misery you've caused! To Tails, to Knuckles, to me, to the _city!_ I could never bring myself to that!"

"You want me think you hate me because of all of those _terrible_ things," said the still grinning Fake Sonic, "But I know better than that. I know how much you love freedom, just like me. But the thing is, I am truly free, and you… well, you're kept in chains by that conscience Prower decided to give you. Doesn't that just eat you up inside? Let it go, Sonic. Let it go and become like me, the person you were meant to be."

"You want me to let go?" said Sonic, "you want me to be like you?" The blue hedgehog felt the cooking pot still weighing down his hand. Taking the handle in a firm grip, he stared at the heavy metal item as if waiting for it to tell him something.

"Are you going to hit me again?" said the hedgehog lying at Sonic's feet, "or should I be expecting a casserole?"

Without a word, Sonic brought the pot crashing down on his rival's head. The other Sonic looked-up, squinting through his swollen eye. He smirked again, a trickle of dark blood seeping across his muzzle from the corner of his mouth.

"Now you're getting it," the hedgehog said, "this is only what I've been trying to show you all along. You and I, we're the same thing, when you think about it."

"We're _not_ the same!" Sonic screamed, smashing the pot down hard, causing the thick metal to buckle. Over and over the blue hedgehog slammed the metal onto his opponent. Sonic's face streamed with tears, his sobs echoing through the building with every strike. As his assault slowed, Sonic's cries caught in his chest, the sound of a wounded animal escaping his gasping dry mouth.

The other Sonic made no more noise. Trembling, Sonic looked from the body, its face no longer recognisable, to his bloody hand holding the warped and sticky lump. Sonic felt his hand weaken, the twisted metal slipping through his fingers. Backing away from the horror rising in his heart, Sonic bit down onto his hand.

"What have I done?"

~o~

* * *

In a darkened room, a figure sat in a large leather wingback chair. The only light came from a large bank of computer screens. The figure sat transfixed by the video looping over and over, where the last moments captured by Fake Sonic's optic sensors played out on every screen, showing a hysterical Sonic viciously beating his doppelganger. The words SYSTEM ERROR flashed up, before the whole showing started again.

The figure leant forward, resting one elbow on the console. Placing his hand down he began to tap his fingers.

A sound of metal scraping against metal. Four times, in quick succession. A quiet lull, then again, four times.

"Well," he said with morbid curiosity, " _that_ was unexpected."

~o~


	12. XII - No Strings Attached

**XII – No Strings Attached**

The sounds of sirens echoed in the distance, merging into a single dreadful wail which haunted the main plaza of Station Square. The plaza itself had ceased to exist; not a single one of the surrounding buildings remained standing. Firestorms erupted from exposed gas pipes, and the cobblestones of the streets smouldered with black ash.

In the centre of the carnage, a deep crater glowed crimson, billowing with black smoke. Deep inside of it, two hedgehogs stood staring each other down, surging with blood-red lightning.

They had not said a word to each other during their battle. No successful strike was followed by boasting, no taunting came after an effective counter. Their minds felt only unbridled fury, which not even the world shaking beneath their Chaos Blasts could dispel.

Launching towards each other once more, their bodies thrust together into a grapple. Red energy crackled between them as each made grabs towards the others eyes, nose or throat. Tumbling down onto the cracked and burning floor, the dark hedgehogs became darker still as black soot clumped in their fur.

Growling with primal rage, the Shadow Doppelganger seized his rival's wrist, trying to twist it and break it. Shadow managed to wriggle free, but his glove slid off, flopping down into the ash.

A glint of metal shone from within the glove, and Fake Shadow's face rose up in alarm.

"My locket!" he cried, scrambling across the dust to the glove, "you had it all along, you bastard! You stole it from me!"

Rising to his feet, Shadow stared down at his copy scrabbling in the dirt. He felt his anger cooling as he watched him pick up the locket, shaking like an addict eagerly awaiting his fix. The logical part of Shadow's brain took control, and he wondered if he had looked so pitiful to Sonic back in the temple.

"Pathetic," he said. The other Shadow span round to face him with accusing eyes.

"What did you say?"

"You're pathetic," Shadow snarled, "you don't even know why you want it."

"Of course I do!" the fake Shadow snapped, "it's the only piece of her I have left. You wouldn't know what it means to love her like I did, just like you don't know how to love Sonic."

Shadow's rage returned with renewed vigour, and he leapt forward, smashing his bare fist into Fake Shadow's face. The doppelganger staggered backwards, and Shadow pressed after him, striking him on the top of the head with his elbow, forcing him to his knees.

"Don't you ever," he snarled, another powerful blow impacting his copy, "talk about her. Don't you dare tell me what you _think_ you feel about her." Another blow sent his head back, blood spurting from his nose. "You're nothing but a puppet, a puppet created for a sick old man to act out his fantasies." The fake Shadow sat slumped over his knees, deflated and breathing heavily. The locket still dangled from its chain within his grasp. Shadow hesitated to see his rival completely placid.

"Nothing I feel is real," he whispered.

"What?" asked Shadow, still on edge and expecting a resurgence from his foe.

"You've damaged my memory storage unit," said Fake Shadow, not looking up "I can see it now. The lines of code telling me what to think, what to feel. How is this possible? It all felt so real. Maria? Sonic? I loved them, but I didn't really, it's nothing but 1's & 0's telling me to love. But then, why do I feel pain about it? Pain for emotions I never had?" He clutched his head tightly at the temples, shaking his head from side to side as his whole body trembled.

"No, no, no, no, no! It must be real! It felt it! I felt it! I-"

Shadow put a hand on his copies shoulder; where before there was hatred, now he felt only pity. His own love for Maria was once the only reason he kept going. His new feelings for Sonic, confused as he was by them, added new purpose to his life. To discover none of it was ever real would leave him with only one option.

"You can't live with yourself this way," said Shadow, his hand crackling with red, "nor can I tolerate your existence after what you've done. Let your punishment be your absolution."

"I would have done it, you know," said Fake Shadow, looking up with familiar crimson eyes, "I would have made the world right for them. For both of them."

Shadow merely nodded serenely.

"I know," he said, "I admit I would have done the same, not that long ago. Until I realised something."

"What was it?"

"Sonic makes the world right."

Placing his hand on the other's forehead, Shadow let crimson lightning course along his arm. The other Shadow tensed up for a second as energy surged through him, before collapsing into the ash. His strings had been cut.

~o~

* * *

Sonic's throat burned. What little food he had eaten lay half-digested in the bottom of the dented silver trashcan he propped himself against. Outside the cafe an eerie stillness permeated the air, with only the distant screech of sirens and the low rumble of a far-off explosion disrupting the quiet.

His fur had begun to dry off in the open air, but his muzzle was matted and damp with drying tears. Raw and red skin surrounded his eyes; he could weep no more, though he desperately wanted to.

His stomach compressed again, and he felt another upheaval rising. He retched into the trashcan, uncaring of the foetid stench, but nothing came except more burning heat. His entire chest screamed in agony; his lungs, having partially filled with water, wheezed and choked, his throat burned and constricted, and his heart pounded with grief.

He still couldn't bear to look at his hands, to see the red that stained his white gloves. All he could think about was Tails. What would he say to him? He had always taught his little brother to respect all life, and that killing was wrong in every circumstance. He had even taught him how to safely put bugs out without harming them, and not to trample wild flowers deliberately. Now he stood with the blood of another intelligent being on his hands.

One part of him wanted Shadow to appear, to put his arms around him again, but the realist part of him knew Shadow would not approve of his anguish. The black hedgehog did this sort of thing for a living; he was pragmatic, cold, unfeeling.

Sonic kicked himself. How could he have thought he could be in love with someone like that? Someone who could take another's life without any remorse? Shadow's whole identity centred on death. He was created to kill, and the one person who could have given him a normal life died in front of him.

Yet when Sonic thought about him, saw his handsome face in his mind, his heart still fluttered. He still yearned for Shadow to touch him again, to hold him, and even kiss him. Why couldn't things be simple, like they used to be? Shadow annoyed him, he annoyed Shadow, they fought, their friends yelled at them, rinse and repeat.

"Sonic?" a voice rang in his ear, "what's going on? Are you alright?"

He lifted his head like it was made of iron. Squinting with tired eyes he saw a familiar red echidna standing over him.

"Kn-knuckles," he croaked, "It's too much. I don't know what to do."

"Whoa, dude, you look awful. Have you been using Chaos Control again?" Sonic shook his head.

"I… I k-killed h-him," Sonic stammered, not daring to look at his hands, "I just straight-up m-murdered him. I'm a killer, Knuckles, a killer!"

"What are you talking about?" Sonic lifted his heavy arm to point to the gaping mouth of the ruined cafe.

"In there," he said, before his arms and head slumped down again, "against the counter."

From the corner of his eye he saw Knuckles cautiously enter the cafe. Leaning over the trashcan he listened intently, expecting to hear Knuckles shouting and cursing at any moment. Nothing reached his ears but a few footsteps, and some other sounds of movement he couldn't identify. He awoke from his haze when something crashed against the pavement next to him.

Looking up he saw Knuckles standing by the cafe door, scowling. He pointed down towards Sonic's feet.

"You killed who, exactly?"

Nervously Sonic turned his head to look, fearing to see that dreadful corpse again.

Next to him a figure lay sprawled out across the pavement. Its skin was shining silver metal, tarnished with scratches. Its head and body were entirely featureless cylinders, save for the large dent in its facial area, and its arms and legs consisted of spindly articulated poles. As Sonic gazed upon the ruined droid, a feeling of elation surged through him, and he began to laugh hysterically, earning him a confused look from Knuckles.

"It's changed back to its default form. It's just a robot!" Sonic said with a giddy affectation, "I knew that! I knew that the whole time!" He looked at his hands; even though his gloves were filthy, the blood that had caked them had vanished. "I'm such an idiot!"

"No argument there," said Knuckles.

"It felt so real, Knux. It felt just like flesh, looked like it, even smelled like it. I really thought I'd... But I didn't kill anyone, just smashed another of Eggman's robots! I didn't kill _anyone!_ " Sonic bounced up and down on the spot, giggling manically, while Knuckles stared at him with his mouth hanging open. Sonic had never felt so happy in his entire life, the dark clouds had gone, and the sun shone in his heart for the first time in days.

His elation abruptly halted when Knuckles fist collided with his face. It wasn't a hard punch, just enough to knock him onto his backside. But a pulled punch from Knuckles would still leave him sore in the morning.

"Ow," said Sonic, rubbing his cheek, "what gives, Knucklehead?"

"I've been waiting to do that for quite some time," said Knuckles, smirking, "I'm not sure if you'd noticed, but there's still a crisis going on here. Shadow's not done fighting his doppelganger in the plaza. GUN are getting impatient; Rouge is doing what she can but if we don't hurry, they'll kill both Shadows."

Sonic leapt to his feet, panic rising.

"Wait a sec," he said, "if you're here, then where's -"

"Tails is okay, Sonic," Knuckles said, putting his hands out to calm Sonic down, "We ran into the Chaotix Crew, they agreed to take him and Amy out of the city."

"Good job, Knux," he said, "I owe you a drink when this is all over."

The distant low rumble of an explosion in the distance made their ears prick up.

"Shadow!" said Sonic, "we need to get down there before..."

"Let's go, Sonic!" said Knuckles with determination.

"Wait a second, Knux. Grab that robot. I think Tails would be keen to take a look at it."

Knuckles hoisted the silver mannequin onto his shoulder, grumbling the whole time.

"Why's it always me who has to carry stuff all the time?"

"Your punishment for being a meat-head, I guess," quipped Sonic, earning him a glare from the red echidna. Before Knuckles could answer back, another low rumble shook the ground beneath their feet.

"Okay, we really need to get moving," said Knuckles.

"Think you can keep up, Knux-y boy?" said Sonic, flashing a cheeky grin.

"I'll keep up; just to make sure you don't do anything stupid."

Sonic threw Knuckles a sly wink before racing off down the deserted city streets, and Knuckles followed close behind, leaving the deserted intersection and devastated façade of the café to their solitude.

~o~

* * *

The devastation in the plaza hurt Sonic's eyes to see it. The modern urban centre, not many years rebuilt since the old city's destruction at the tentacles of Perfect Chaos, lay in ruins once more. The whole area had become a raging inferno, and black smoke threatened to engulf Sonic & Knuckles.

Peering through the smog, Sonic could see no sign of either Shadow.

"Where are they?" said Sonic, "Shadow! Shadow, are you alright?" He pushed forward through the intense heat, stopping when he felt his weight shift underneath his feet, and found himself at the edge of a deep, smouldering crater.

Down in the depths of the recess, amidst the sinister crimson glow, Sonic saw two figures, recognising the familiar outline of the two Shadows. One knelt on the ground, arms slumped to his side, while the other had a hand pressed against his forehead. Sonic's heart skipped a beat to know Shadow still lived, but worry soon crept back in. Which one was the real Shadow? Who had won the fight?

That's when he saw the locket.

Glinting in the light of the flames, Shadow's precious locket hung as limp as his arms, the chain intertwining his fingers and the frame dragging in the dust. Sonic's heart began to race. The real Shadow had lost, he thought, and was now at the mercy of the doppelganger.

A flash of red shot through the kneeling Shadow, and he twitched slightly, before crumpling into a heap. Sonic gasped, and his heart shattered.

"NO!" he shouted, before scrambling down the dusty and cracked slopes of the crater towards the body. Knuckles threw down the robot he carried and charged down after him. Shoving the stunned Shadow out of the way, allowing Knuckles to catch the black hedgehog from behind and hold him in place, Sonic skidded to his knees, propping the limp body up on his lap and wrapping his arms around the shoulders.

"Damn you!" Sonic seethed, resting his head against the still head of Shadow, who stared out with unmoving eyes, "We were just starting to become friends, and I actually liked him! More than liked him, I don't know. Why did you do it? Why?!" He began to rock back and forth with his eyes tightly closed, cradling the still body in his arms, rage and sorrow flowing through him in equal measure.

"Er... Sonic," said Shadow.

"Shut up!" Sonic snapped, his eyes still tightly closed, "I have nothing to say to you!"

"Sonic, open your eyes!" said Knuckles.

Sonic obliged, jumping in fright. In his arms lay a similar spindly silver robot like the one Knuckles had carried. Leaping to his feet he let the metal corpse slump into the black ash.

"It wasn't you?" he said, looking at Shadow with confusion

"Obviously," sniffed Shadow, "I wouldn't give up so easily, for a start."

Sonic couldn't contain his happiness any further. He threw his arms around Shadow, kissing him repeatedly on the forehead. Shadow tensed up, standing upright as a board and holding him at arm's length.

"Alright, Sonic," he said, grimacing, "you've made your point."

"Yeah Sonic," said Knuckles, "we've had enough weirdness for one day." Sonic's face flushed crimson, and he avoided the two men's gaze, pretending to be interested in his shoes.

"Sorry about that. Got a little, ya know, overexcited."

"I assume your doppelganger is dealt with?" said Shadow. Sonic got a brief flash of his recent interactions with his copy, and felt his stomach turning again.

"Yeah," he said, "he's up at the top of the crater. Looks just like this guy now." Shadow nodded in silent approval, and Sonic's stomach twisted even further. _I knew it,_ he thought, _he's proud of the fact that I had the guts to kill, sort-of kill, whatever. What am I letting myself in for?_

"Chaos, what a horrible mess this is," said Knuckles, looking at the flaming ruins surrounding them, "Hasn't Station square suffered enough?"

"It could have been worse," said Shadow. Knuckles glared at him.

"Could have been -?" he said incredulously, "there must be hundreds dead, you heartless bastard!"

"Be thankful," said Shadow, turning to stare down Knuckles, "millions more would have died had we not stopped these insane robots." Knuckles flared up again, but Sonic found himself silently agreeing with Shadow. He couldn't help feeling conflicted; did he agree because Shadow was right, in a cold logical sort of way, or because of his inexplicable attraction to the Ultimate Lifeform?

"Why the heck did they do it?" said Sonic, trying to diffuse the brash posturing between Shadow and Knuckles, "If they were just gonna cause havoc, why did they wait for so long? Why spend time infiltrating our circle of friends?"

"I think they genuinely cared about our friends, in a twisted sort of way," said Shadow, "they wanted them to be part of their _new world order._ It's tragic, really. They honestly thought they were real."

"Where did all that ideological crap come from anyway?" said Sonic, "you've never believed in anything like that, have you Shadow?"

"Of course not," said Shadow with conviction, although Sonic noticed he turned his back on him as he said it. He shook his head to dispel his unwanted thoughts; Shadow couldn't be _that_ cruel, could he? His thoughts drifted off when he heard the sound of fluttering wings.

"Shadow!" cried Rouge from the top of the smoking crater, "Shadow, are you there?"

"It's alright," said Shadow, waving to her. The three men clambered to the top of the crater, black dust accumulating on their gloves. Knuckles grumbled as he dragged the former Shadow robot to the lip of the deep hole.

Climbing onto the relatively even street, they froze at the sounds of guns rattling all around them. On every side of them, soldiers in black combat fatigues and dark visors trained their assault rifles on them, angular silver robots readied their large laser cannons, and armoured trucks and tanks formed an impenetrable wall of metal. From the turret of an armoured vehicle one of the soldiers barked through a megaphone.

"Stay where you are! Get your hands up!"

"I'm so sorry, Shadow," said Rouge, her face heavy with pain, "I kept them back for as long as I could."

Shadow's expression became fierce, and Sonic feared the worst. He sharply nudged Shadow in the ribs.

"You can't fight them, Shadow!" he hissed. Shadow didn't look convinced, and neither was Sonic. He was confident this army was no match for them, but he couldn't bear to be party to any more destruction, any more death. His desperate look softened Shadow's stern glare, and with a heavy sigh the black hedgehog slowly raised his hands.

"Sonic & Shadow," the GUN leader continued, "By the power invested in me by the Supreme Commander of the Guardian Units of Nations, for the crime of mass murder, I hereby sentence you …"

Shadow and Sonic both held their breath.

"…to death!"

~o~


	13. Interlude - The Sound of Metal

**Interlude – The Sound of Metal**

The figure sat staring intently at the screen in front of him. The video footage of Sonic and Shadow at the mercy of GUN forces, taken from his own spy cameras, would have made him smile, if it were possible. Anyone seeing his face right now would say he looked like he was smiling, even though his face had undergone no process of change. Leaning against the console, his fingers tapped frantically as his excitement got the better of him.

A sound of metal scraping against metal.

"They hate you, don't they Shadow?" he said to the image of Shadow's scowling face, "They'll always see you as a monster. I wonder if you'll show them what you're capable of, you've got nothing to lose, after all." He sat back in the leather wingback chair, forming a pyramid with his fingers.

"A wave of your hand and they'd all be nothing but ashes. To hold that sort of power…" he laughed to himself, a dark laugh that echoed satisfaction through the shadows.

"I don't know what you're so happy about," said a voice from behind him, "your 'brilliant' plan has failed. Your useless robots are dead, and the city is saved. Sonic beat you, _again_. I came up with better evil plans back when I was in diapers. I did them in crayon."

He turned his head to one side, barely peeking beyond the back of the chair to observe his prisoner, who floated within a faint column of blue light, his hands and legs bound by heavy metal clamps.

"Plan?" said the figure in the chair, "Oh dear, Doctor, you are so terribly short-sighted. This isn't one of your petty schemes. This…" he waved his hand lethargically as if trying to grab the words from the air itself, "is a work of art, and I've barely put my brush to the canvas. My muse is somewhat ephemeral, but this so-called 'defeat' has inspired me in new and bolder ways. You see, Doctor, an undertaking of such breath-taking scope takes patience, something you're sorely lacking. "

"I thought _I_ liked to talk a lot. Stop blathering and get to the point, you windsock!"

"Hmm," the figure said, with tangible indifference, "I must say, my duplicate did a spectacular job of impersonating your abrasive personality, as well as your over-inflated ego."

"You didn't get the moustache quite right," said Doctor Eggman, "and you had Shadow blow me… I mean, _it_ up! What was the point of that?"

"Everyone needed to play their part. My Sonic & Shadow needed to think they had betrayed the real you, just as the real hedgehogs needed to think you were the source of the attack. Oh, and I just found it enjoyable to watch you die," said the figure, laughing, "but not as much I'm going to enjoy watching those hedgehogs suffer. When I'm done with them, they'll crawl to my feet and beg me to end their miserable lives. I'll be glad to oblige. It will be… beautiful." He made a sound like someone sniffing a pleasant aroma, then the sound of a contented sigh, neither action he could physically perform.

"You're insane!" said Eggman, "I can't believe I'm the one to say it, but you're completely insane."

He turned back to the screen, leaning in and staring with rabid curiosity.

"Madness & genius are two sides of the same coin. If you think I'm mad, that's nothing compared to how Sonic will be after I'm done with him."

~o~

 


	14. XIII - Into The Wilderness

**XIII – Into the Wilderness**

He felt the biting daggers of wind cutting through his skin, his fur soft and damp against the cold hard ground. In his mouth bitter crystals melted into cool water, and he recognised the taste. The taste of snow; clean pure snow, not the pollution-stained slush from the city in winter.

Where was he?

Lifting his head he saw nothing but a whirlwind of white. Trembling from the freezing temperature he staggered to his feet. All around him dark shadows rose into the sky, fading in the swirling fog.

Taking a few steps forward, one of the shadows came into sharp relief. He could see it now, they were pine trees, all cracked bark and falling needles. He gently ran his hand along the rough surface, his thoughts lost in the howling wind.

Faintly, through the cry of the blizzard, he thought he heard someone moaning, or crying. Looking past the tree he saw another shadow, a hunched thing lying in the snow. That's when he remembered.

~o~

* * *

"I sentence you to death!"

"Whoa, what?" shouted Sonic, "you can't do that! We just saved the world, _again_. Where's our respect?"

The GUN leader atop the armoured truck took no notice of him, which annoyed Sonic more than the death threat. Nobody ignored him and got away with it.

"Agent Rouge," he barked through his megaphone, "Get out of the line of fire."

"Wait!" cried Rouge, waving her arms, her voice heavy with regret, "at least let me say goodbye first." The GUN leader briefly conferred with his colleagues, their mumbling captured by the megaphone.

"Fine," he grumbled, "but make it quick."

Rouge turned to Shadow and threw her arms around him. The black hedgehog tensed up, cautiously placing his arms on her, clearly confused. When she released her grip his expression became solemn, and he was lost in thought. Rouge turned to Sonic and swept him into a similar hug.

"Don't worry, Blue," she whispered into his ear, "I'll make sure Tails is looked after. I'll even kiss him goodnight for you." Sonic smiled, even though duplicity was Rouge's forte, when she gave her word in earnest, she would die before she went back on it. As she walked away he saw her turn back to look at them, her eyes barely holding back the tears.

"Ready, men," said the GUN leader. The sound of guns rattling set Sonic's teeth on edge.

"Sonic," said Shadow, eerily calm in the face of death, "take my hand."

Sonic obliged, slipping his hand inside of Shadow's firm grip. A slight tingle shot through his hand, and he felt Shadow's calm demeanour taking over him.

"Aim..."

"Never thought I'd die holding hands with you, Shads," said Sonic, smirking. Shadow smirked back, but said nothing. He closed his eyes, standing perfectly still, and Sonic closed his as well, serenely awaiting the end.

"Fire!"

A deafening roar howled through his ears, but it wasn't the sound of gunfire. Sonic opened his eyes to see red energy swirling around him, and panic began to set in. The sensation of being dragged through a straw overtook him, becoming more intense and nauseating with every second. This didn't feel like normal Chaos Control, it felt violent, tormented, like the Chaos energy itself was in agony. As the sensation of being stretched tore at him, he began to scream.

And so did Shadow.

~o~

* * *

"Shadow? Shadow, are you alright? What happened back there?"

The figure hunched in the snow clutched at his abdomen and moaned in pain. Sonic put his hand on Shadow's shoulder, worry filling his heart.

"Speak to me, Shadow." Sonic jumped backwards, his heart leaping into his mouth when Shadow turned to face him. The black hedgehog's eyes crawled with bloodshot veins, and his lips were dry and cracked. Shadow said nothing, but howled a dry gasp like he'd been stabbed.

"Shadow?" he cried, "Holy crap, what happened to you?" Shadow panted heavily, but started to regain his composure. Placing an arm around his shoulders, Sonic struggled to lift Shadow to his feet.

"Oof!" he said, "you're heavier than you look."

"No..." Shadow wheezed, "you're... weak..." Sonic rolled his eyes. He still didn't know what to make of Shadow. Apparently his newfound protective streak didn't stop him from being a dick.

"Let's leave the insults until after I've helped you to safety." He peered through the white wall. "Where is safety anyway?"

Shadow raised his free arm and pointed slightly to the left of Sonic's view. Turning to face the direction, Sonic saw the same view as everywhere else; a blanket of white mixed with dark looming trees. Trusting Shadow's superior eyesight he marched forward slowly, resting Shadow on his shoulder as he limped alongside him.

The march dragged with every step; frost piled up on his fur, and he squinted through snowflakes embedded on his eyelids. Shadow seemed to get heavier with every step, his head hanging down in front of him as he softly moaned.

Sonic wondered about what Shadow had said about protection. Surely, Sonic thought, he should be feeling the same thing right now? He liked Shadow, he liked him a lot, and he didn't like seeing him like this, but it was more of a nuisance than anything. If it were Tails his heart would be breaking, but he felt strangely neutral about it. The way Shadow had described his feelings so tenderly, was it right that his own seemed to be totally different?

His train of thought changed track when he saw a large dark shape looming out of the fog. As he drew nearer the shape of horizontal logs became clear. A little log cabin stood in a clearing, practically buried by the snowdrift piling up against it. Through the frost covered windows Sonic could see no light inside.

"Is this where you meant, Shadow?"

Shadow merely grunted a vaguely positive noise. Seeing no other option, Sonic clambered up the porch steps, giving the door a swift kick. The door flew open, and Sonic dragged the lumbering Shadow inside, slamming the door behind them.

The interior of the cabin was almost pitch dark, but from the limited light of the windows Sonic could make out a few indistinct shapes, including what must surely have been a couch. The cabin, by no means warm, felt almost tropical to Sonic now that he was out of that bitter wind.

Shuffling to the supposed couch with Shadow, Sonic tried to lower him gently onto it. Shadow's weight proved too much, and both hedgehogs toppled onto the almost invisible furniture. Shadow lay flat on his back, and Sonic lay half on the seat, knees on the wooden floor. His arms were trapped underneath Shadow's waist and his head rested on his stomach.

Sonic froze. Shadow's fur brushed softly against his cheek, the warmth of his body like a furnace compared to the frigid air. Through Shadow's skin he could feel his heart beating, not particularly fast he thought, whilst his own ricocheted off his ribs at a blinding speed.

Shadow didn't move, apart from his breathing. He didn't tense up or squirm, he made no movements toward Sonic. The stillness of the room, save for the howling wind, and the stillness of their bodies, formed a tangible serenity. Looking up he could see crimson eyes, still bloodshot, reflected in the dim light, and a face as cold as the wind outside.

"Sooo..." said Sonic, trying to dispel the awkwardness creeping along his spine, "things got a little crazy back there. Where are we? And what happened to you out there?"

"We're in the White Wilderness Zone," Shadow croaked, "in Cybernia."

"Cybernia?!" Sonic cried, sitting up, "but that's hundreds of miles from the Federation!"

"7294.86 kilometres, to be exact."

"Why did we come here of all places?"

"That wasn't just a hug Rouge gave me," said Shadow, "she used it to whisper a set of co-ordinates to me. I focused on that location before I Chaos Controlled us both here."

"I didn't think Chaos Control could get you that far."

"There's no limit to Chaos Control," Shadow said, coughing, "Just to how much my body can take. I could teleport to the moon if I wanted, but I wouldn't make it there in one piece."

"That explains why you look just like me before I've had my morning coffee," said Sonic, grinning cheekily, "but what's so special about this cabin?"

"Probably one of Rouge's safe houses. I'd guess it's one GUN doesn't know about, that's why she sent us here."

"I can't believe GUN think we were behind all that destruction. Didn't Rouge tell them about the copies?"

"GUN like to shoot first and ask questions later," said Shadow, a fierce scowl descending on his face, which Sonic avoided. He knew exactly what Shadow was referring to, and he wasn't about to poke that sleeping dragon. Instead he leapt to his feet.

"We need to get back home," he said, "as soon as you're feeling better. We can catch a plane or something."

"We can't go back," said Shadow, "not yet."

"What do you mean we can't go back?" Sonic said, stopping short of yelling, "I finally managed to rescue Tails, and now I'm leaving him all alone... _again_." He practically sighed the last word, his whole body drooping with regret.

"He's not alone, Sonic. The others will look after him," said Shadow, shifting his weight on the couch with a stifled yawn, "In case you hadn't noticed, GUN think we're nothing short of dangerous criminals. Plus, we destroyed the only evidence that proved we were set-up."

"Tails will think of something," Sonic said with determination, "He'll be able to prove those robots were impersonating us. I have complete faith in him."

"Have you ever told him that?" Sonic span round to face the weary Shadow, his mind racing with confusion.

"Er... No, I guess I haven't," said Sonic, rubbing the back of his head, "but he knows it, I think. Why are you laughing?"

On the couch Shadow let out a deep, slow laugh, interrupted by the occasional cough.

"People think _I'm_ reserved with my emotions," he said with a tired grin, "but that's only because I don't feel the same things normal people do. But you, you can't express yourself at all. You pretend to be happy when you're not, you bottle up your anger, and you can't even tell your best friend how much you love him. If Tails were my friend..."

"Stop," Sonic said, turning away from him, "Just stop right there." _How dare he_ , thought Sonic, _how dare he try to tell me how I feel about Tails._ A fire started to rage in him, and the word _love_ rattled around in his mind like a bouncing ball. Feeling like he was about to explode, he rounded on Shadow.

"You want me to express myself?" he snapped to the figure shrouded in darkness, "you want me to talk about my feelings? Okay then, how about this? I'm in love with you! I'm friggin' _in love_ with you, of all the people in the world, and I don't know even know the reason why. You've done nothing but insult, demean or attack me for the past two days, occasionally getting all 'protective' whatever that means, which I have to say comes across a little bit creepy, and yet I still can't stop thinking about you. There! I said it! Weren't expecting that now, were you?"

He could feel the tension leaving his body. Venting all of those pent-up thoughts left him with a heady rush. As he calmed down, the weight of what he just said hit him in the face. Nervously, he waited. No reply came from the darkness.

"Shadow?" he asked. Still no reply came. Sonic began to panic; he feared Shadow must be silently fuming, ready to launch into a far more eloquent tirade of his own. When no righteous anger erupted from the darkness, Sonic tentatively crept over to the couch.

"You okay, Shadow?" he said with a timid quaver, "I... I'm sorry I said all that stuff, I didn't mean it. Most of it, anyway." From the seat below him he heard Shadow softly breathing, and he realised he could no longer see the glint of crimson eyes.

Shadow's eyes were closed, and he slumbered peacefully.

"Huh," said Sonic, "Didn't think you needed sleep. That Chaos Control must have really taken it out of you." Sitting down on the floor and propping himself against the edge of the couch, he gently rested his hand against Shadow's, delicately weaving his fingers between his counterparts'.

Idly tracing his other hand across the floor, he failed to notice the smile slowly spreading across Shadow's face.

~o~

* * *

The streets of Station Square lay under a grey pallor, the overcast morning painting every surface with gloom. Over the heads of the citizens it seems like a smaller, darker cloud lingered, and behind their smiles a grim melancholy lurked.

The darkest cloud of all hovered above an eleven year old orange fox, who wandered down the street clutching a brown leather satchel to his chest.

He could feel everyone's eyes on him, some accusing, staring daggers into him. Others pitiful, condescending. This street, unharmed by the recent chaos, was as busy as one could expect. As he passed a small cafe, his sensitive ears picked up on their whispering.

"He's got some nerve showing his face around here."

"The poor dear. He must be so lonely."

"It's creepy that Sonic spent so much time with an underage kid. They're not even related."

He hurried past them, trying to ignore their inane gossip and slander. Sonic always told him not to care what other people think, but he couldn't help feeling exposed. As he passed a newspaper vendor, bold black letters leapt out and caught his eye.

On every front page a full colour photo showed Sonic, actually the fake Sonic, grinning wickedly and surrounded by destruction. The papers all had a different take on it, but each headline hysterically shrieked at him.

**_BETRAYAL_ **

**_A BLACK DAY FOR MOBIUS_ **

**_HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN_ **

**_WHAT KIND OF HERO DOES THIS?_ **

He promised himself he wouldn't cry. He was fed up with crying, always feeling weak. He had faced gods and monsters without breaking, he had been captured, enslaved, tortured and all manner of things that would leave most people as shattered husks, but this...

He couldn't deal with this. His best friend, his hero, despised by everyone he loved and saved. Disappeared into exile, leaving him all alone. He had his other friends for sure, but without Sonic, he might as well have been the only boy on Mobius.

The worst part had been visiting his house by the park. He had needed his satchel, and more importantly the item inside it, but one look at that building had broken his heart. Rotten fruit and eggs splashed up the walls, the garden filled with garbage, windows smashed, inside and out spray painted with threatening slogans. He didn't dare search the whole house; he just went straight to his ransacked workshop and retrieved what he needed. He couldn't get out of there fast enough.

It wasn't fair. How could the people turn against Sonic like this? Eggman was caught on camera admitting the truth, everyone must have seen it. But they would rather believe some sensationalist nonsense about Sonic turning evil. Tails' anger rose, how could everyone be so stupid, stupid, stupid!

Lunging forward he took a firm hold of a paper and began to tear it apart, grunting and growling with rage as he shredded the offending article. The vendor, a flatcapped elderly sheepdog who had been reading his own paper and smoking a droopy cigarette, looked up in alarm.

"Oi!" he shouted, "What do you think you're playing at?"

Tails fright chased away his anger, and he dropped the fragments of paper, turning and running as fast as he could, his Tails spinning frantically. Behind him the sheepdog stood aghast at the mess, shaking his fist angrily.

_That was so stupid_ , thought Tails, _Sonic would be ashamed to see me lose it like that. I should really pay that guy back once he's calmed down a bit._ Tails sighed, even without Sonic around, he still felt like he was watching him, guiding him, correcting him in his friendly way.

Stopping to catch his breath once he was out of sight, Tails looked up to see his destination at last.

Before him a huge building loomed, a wall of grey concrete and shining tinted glass stretching in either direction, threatening to swallow him. Flagpoles line the road leading up to the entrance, and Tails recognised the colours of many countries: Spagonia, Adabat, Cybernia; it seemed like the whole world stood to attention for him. A large holographic display gently rotated before the stone steps rising towards the imposing front door. Splashed across its logo were three letters.

G. U. N.

Clutching his satchel even tighter, Tails gulped nervously, before making his way up the steps.

The vast lobby stretched out before him. Its black marble floor was polished so cleanly it sparkled, and tall decorative pillars lined his route, giving the whole place a cathedral-like aura of grandeur. Passing by another holographic logo and some confusing modern art sculptures, Tails made his way to the circular reception desk, where a mean-looking avian and a chubby panda furiously attacked their keyboards.

The desk was almost as tall as he was, and Tails had to stand on tiptoes to peek over it.

"Ahem," he coughed politely, "excuse me." The avian looked up, looking around with confusion, before she spotted his ears peeking above the desk. Her face was like thunder, and she glared through orange rimmed eyes covered by a pair of silver half-moon glasses.

"What do you want?" she snapped, flaring her fan of head feathers.

"I'm here to see Commander Richard Baxter," Tails continued, refusing to be cowed by her rudeness.

"The regional controller?" she scoffed, "I didn't realise he ran a kindergarten." Behind her the panda chuckled. Tails didn't blink; just because he was a child didn't mean he could be talked down to.

"May I see him?" he continued, keeping his cool.

"No you may not," she said. The panda scooched her chair to lean over the desk, wearing a patronising smile.

"What she means to say is, the Commander is a very busy man. He hasn't got time to play with little kids."

"Fine," said Tails, heading over to a chair propped up against one of the pillars "if you could just tell him Miles Prower is here to see him, I'll wait here until he's free."

Avoiding the avian's icy glare, he placed his brown leather satchel on his lap and opened it. Reaching inside he pulled out a heavy rectangular box, coloured orange as his fur, with a screen swarming with green computer code. He began to tap upon the screen of his Miles Electric, prompting the avian to look up from her computer to glare at him again.

"What's that you've got there?"

"It's a video game," said Tails, "I'm just trying to pass the time. Have you made the call yet?" She ducked down behind the desk, grumbling.

Tails continued to tap his screen as green code flooded across it. He giggled quietly to himself, smugly proud of how easily he could outsmart these stuck-up adults.

CMDR. RICHARD BAXTER. VOICE SAMPLES LOADED. INTERCEPTING TELEPHONE LANDLINE.

Over at the reception desk, a phone began to ring. The grumpy avian reached for it.

"Hello Commander Baxter, how may I help you?" she said in a sickly sweet voice, "Miles Prower? Y-yes, he's just arrived. I'll send him up right away, Sir" Putting down the phone her face sank into terrified guilt.

"I'm so sorry, Sir," she babbled with phony politeness, "I must have mistaken you for someone else. I'll send for someone to escort you to the Commander right away."

Tails laughed inside at the avian's panicked grovelling. _Serves you right for treating me like dirt,_ he thought.

A security guard, a hulking panther with a face that made Shadow look cheerful, came to escort him. He was led into a lift, then along sterile white metal corridors lined with identical wooden doors. Eventually his trip through the labyrinth stopped at a door no different to all those he had seen, except for a small plaque which read:

CMDR. RICHARD BAXTER. REGIONAL COMMANDER, U.F.A. EAST COAST.

The guard rang the comm device outside. Through the crackly radio feed a brusque voice came.

"Yes?" it said.

"Mr. Prower here to see you, Sir," said the panther.

"Prower?" said the box after some hesitation, " _Miles_ Prower? _Miles "Tails"_ Prower?!"

The panther guard looked at Tails suspiciously. Before he could react the door flew open, and the Commander stood in the doorway.

"Get in here!" he barked, grabbing Tails by his scruff and thrusting him inside. He gave a quick nod to the guard.

"Thank you, Simon. You're dismissed." Then he turned and shut the door.

Tails found himself inside a small office. A large mahogany desk dominated the tiny room, and everywhere antique ornaments dotted the shelves and drawers. A large bookshelf stood behind the desk, and boxes and files occupied the remaining space. The Commander turned to face Tails. A tallish grey wolf with dark highlights, looking to be in his mid-thirties, he wore an open black suit jacket and purple tie, no shirt or pants (as was the Mobian male style) and formal black shoes and gloves. Across his left eye a deep red scar traced a line from his snout to his ear.

"We've been looking for you," he said in a younger-sounding voice than Tails expected, "you're wanted in connection with this Sonic & Shadow fiasco. You're going to tell us everything you know, starting with where they've gone."

Tails fixed the man with a stern glare. This guy clearly thought his status would let him push Tails around; if he thought that, GUN needed to increase their intelligence budget.

"I don't know where they are," he said, earning him an incredulous look from the wolf, "but even if I did I wouldn't tell you. I actually want something from you."

"What makes you think you can barge in here and call the shots, kiddo? Why should I help you at all?"

Tails stood firm, reaching into his satchel to press a button on his Miles Electric. With a clang the door's locking mechanism snapped shut, the lights dimmed, and the window blinds closed.

"Because," Tails said with a devilish grin, "if you don't you'll have to explain what you were doing with an underage boy in your office with all the security lockdowns in place. Or maybe..." He put on his best sad puppy-dog look, fake tears streaming down his face as he sobbed, "I'll h-have to t-tell them what the _bad man_ d-did to me in here." His face instantly changed to a cheeky grin Sonic would be proud of, and the Commander's turned to one of horror as he backed away from Tails.

"You wouldn't dare," he growled.

"OW! You're hurting me!" Tails whined in a deliberately loud manner.

"Alright, alright!" cried the Commander, "Keep your voice down, you little shit! What do you want from me?"

Tails fixed him with a freezing glare, staring into the wolf's hazel eyes.

"I want you to release my friend Knuckles, I want those robots you've seized, and I want what you've been keeping from the rest of the world."

"What's that?"

"The truth."

~o~


	15. XIV – How to Control Chaos (and Influence People)

**XIV – How to Control Chaos (and Influence People)**

_Tap. Tap._

"Come on."

_Tap. Tap._

"Work already."

In front of a frigid, dark fireplace stacked with logs, Sonic sat cross-legged, trembling from the insidious creeping cold that permeated the cabin. The night had drawn in, plunging the already dark room into total blackness.

In his hands Sonic clutched two round stones that he had fished out of the snow. For what felt like hours he sat tapping them together, hoping to produce a spark and light the fire. He honestly had no idea what he was doing, and his patience was stretched to breaking point. A quick run around the forest would warm him up for sure, and he itched to leap to his feet.

But that would mean leaving Shadow alone in his catatonic state, and if there's one thing he wouldn't do, he wouldn't abandon a friend.

_Just like you abandoned Tails?_ said a voice in his head, _Shadow isn't even your friend, not really, you just want to get busy with him._

"Shut up, brain!" Sonic said, blushing with guilt. He knew it wasn't his fault, Shadow had brought them here. To this isolated cabin, deep in picturesque snow-covered woods, soon to have a roaring open fire to sit beside. Alone with Shadow for an uncertain amount of time. He was starting to feel warmer already.

Trying to keep his imagination under control, he steered his mind back to Tails. He would be okay, he told himself. Eggman was dead, the robots were destroyed, and he had heaps of friends to look out for him. GUN might give him a hard time looking for them, but his little buddy could handle it, he was sure. Or was he just telling himself that so he could give Shadow his undivided attention?

Sighing, he resumed his futile tapping.

"Sonic," came a voice from behind him, "what are you doing?"

Sonic turned instinctively, seeing nothing but blackness.

"I'm trying to light a friggin' fire," he said through shivering lips, "before my quills freeze and drop off!"

"It'll take you until doomsday like that," said Shadow, prompting Sonic to remember he could see in the dark, "even if you did get a spark, you'd just set your shoes on fire."

"I suppose Sleeping Beauty has a better idea?" Sonic said, letting his shoulders slump. He heard Shadow's footsteps approaching and realised he was standing over him.

The crushing blackness began to retreat from a faint red glow. In the dim crimson Sonic saw Shadow standing over the fireplace, hand outstretched. The light around Shadow's hand grew brighter, reflecting from the dark hedgehog's eyes and giving them the form of pristine rubies. From the corner of his eye Sonic glimpsed a second red glow emanating from the fireplace, growing more intense by the second.

With a whoosh and rush of air the logs burst into scarlet flames that flashed into glowing orange fire. Sonic flinched, but became calm as the warmth of the fire washed over him, chasing his shivers away. The deep orange hues bathed every corner of the room, and Sonic finally saw the inside of the cabin.

It was sparsely decorated, hardly surprising considering the location, but most of what little furniture there was consisted of wood or wicker. A few drab landscapes loitered in frames here and there, and in the corner an ancient boxy TV set forlornly sat under a layer of dust.

"Nice Job, Shads," said Sonic, rubbing his hands and holding them against the heat, "how did you do that?"

"Just a bit of simple energy manipulation," said Shadow sitting down by the fire when Sonic scooched to one side to allow him room, "the question is, why didn't you?"

Sonic looked at him with confusion.

"Why didn't I what?"

"Why didn't you use Chaos Control to light the fire?"

"What?" Sonic spluttered, "I can do a lot of things, but I can't magic up fire by snapping my fingers." Shadow fixed him with a puzzled look.

"Sonic," he said, genuine confusion in his voice, "we had known each other less than a week before you used Chaos Control. You learnt how to do it after watching me do it _once_ , and you were using a fake Emerald."

"That's not the same. That was a life or death situation, and I didn't feel so great afterwards."

Shadow paused for a moment, staring into the deep glow of the flames. When he turned back to look at Sonic, his face was heavy with concern.

"Why are you afraid of your own abilities?" he said, "you let that doppelganger frighten you with your own skills, and now you're scared of what you could do with Chaos energy." Sonic felt defensive, he thought Shadow was trying to push his buttons again. He wasn't afraid, he never got scared – well, except for his crippling hydrophobia, or when his friends were in danger, or some smug copy of him uses his own powers against him. Sonic dismissed the thoughts; he didn't get scared, he wouldn't let himself.

"I can't be afraid of something I can't even do."

Shadow turned back to the fire, staring intently with fierce eyes. _Here we go,_ thought Sonic, _here comes the insult, the backhanded compliment. Why do I even-_

"Would you like me to show you?" said Shadow, looking up at Sonic with a calm smile almost as warm as the flames themselves. Sonic's inner monologue came to a screeching halt.

"S-show me what?" he asked tentatively.

Shadow raised his hand with his palm facing upwards. Closing his eyes he seemed to slip into a meditative trance. A crimson glow surrounded his hand once more, this time small points of bright red, like tiny fireflies hovered playfully above it.

Sonic stared with fascination as Shadow gently adjusted his fingers, a look of intense internal concentration on his face. The points of light began to coalesce above his palm, forming an orb of pure scarlet that gently span in place. Moving his fingers like he was caressing the finest silk, the orb began to change. Shadow's face became even more intense, before relaxing. He opened his eyes.

Sonic's jaw dropped open. Floating above Shadow's hand was a butterfly made from shining crimson light. It softly fluttered its wings, looking like it was a living, breathing being made from pure energy. With a wave of Shadow's hand the butterfly flew away, floating high up to the ceiling. Sonic traced its movement carefully, studying its every delicate flutter and twist, before it dissipated into crimson dust.

"Whoa! That was incredible!" cried Sonic, "How in the world..?"

"To control that which by definition cannot be controlled," said Shadow, "that was my purpose, once. Black Doom & GUN thought Chaos Energy could only be used as a weapon, but Maria..." he began to trail off, looking down at the floor.

"Go on, Shadow," Sonic said.

"Maria taught me to think differently. To think about peace, and nature, and..." he looked directly into Sonic's eyes, " _love._ " Sonic's heart skipped a beat.

"She showed me how to use my imagination," Shadow continued, "how the ultimate weapon of death could be used to create things of great beauty."

"Like a... gun that shoots flowers!" Sonic said, beaming. He was proud of that analogy.

"Um... quite," said Shadow, obviously less impressed, "my point is, I can show you how to tame this ability. You've demonstrated you have the potential for it."

"I'm not sure about this, Shadow," said Sonic, "my super speed is quite enough for me, thanks." The dark hedgehog nodded curtly as if in understanding, before thrusting an open hand forward.

"Take my hand, Sonic," he said, "let me help you be the best you can. Don't be afraid of yourself."

_Did he know?_ thought Sonic. Shadow had proven to be very perceptive lately, and Sonic wondered if this wasn't some kind of manipulation. If Shadow knew how he felt, he would know how desperate Sonic was to feel his touch at all times. Reluctantly he thrust his arm forward as well, taking Shadow's hand in a firm grip. The two boys sat facing each other in silence.

"Now," said Shadow in a soft whisper, "do you feel that?"

"There's sort of a tingle," said Sonic. His hand felt the pinpricks of tiny needles, slowly creeping up his fingers.

"I'm just getting a feel for your Chaos energy," said Shadow, taking on an almost clinical tone, as if he was checking Sonic's pulse, "there's definite potential here."

He shifted around, not letting go of Sonic's hand. The black hedgehog sat alongside Sonic, who felt a heat hotter than the roaring fire overtake his face. _He's so close,_ he thought, his heart pounding, _I can't take this. The urge to hold him again is too much._ Sonic realised he was breathing rather loudly through his nose, and Shadow looked at him strangely. He turned his head away, blushing deeply.

"Now then," said Shadow, turning Sonic's hand face up and placing his palm underneath it, "just relax, and feel the energy flowing through you." Sonic could not have been more tense. Shadow's deep, smouldering voice in his ear, meant to calm him, instead seemed sensual and enticing. His hand began to tingle again, while the rest of his body quivered with a different sort of anticipation. His thoughts focused again when he noticed a blue glow surrounding his hand.

"Whoa," he said, transfixed, "am I doing that?" From the corner of his eye Shadow nodded.

"You're really tense," he said, "take it slowly, let yourself relax properly or else you'll-"

"Yow!" shouted Sonic, snapping his hand away as a blue flash filled the room, "that really hurt!"

"Of course it did, you lost control because you're as stiff as a board. Let's try this again, and this time, make sure you _relax."_

_How can I relax when you're this close to me?_ thought Sonic, _you're asking more than you know, Shadow._

Sonic offered his hand again, and Shadow placed his under it again. This time Shadow put his other hand on Sonic's shoulder, and the blue hedgehog's breath caught in his throat.

"Breathe," Shadow cooed, "slowly through your nose." Sonic obliged; determined not to let Shadow see how much he rattled him, he stared straight ahead, concentrating on the slow stream of air flowing into him. He felt his body unwind as he shifted his focus away from Shadow's touch to his own breathing.

"Good," said Shadow, "Now, concentrate on the palm of your hand. Focus all your mental energy at that point." Sonic felt like obeying Shadow's commands, as averse as he was to being told what to do, it would at least distract him from more unwanted feelings. Looking down at his tingling hand he saw it had begun to glow with cobalt light.

"Close your eyes," said Shadow, "visualise a sphere in your hand. Focus your energy into making that sphere a reality." Sonic screwed up his face as he focused on the shape. His hand tingled further, and a strange numbness enveloped it. Opening his eyes he beheld an orb of perfect cobalt light spinning above his hand. He couldn't help but gasp.

"It… it feels like it's a part of me," he said with astonishment, "like an extension of my mind. It's… incredible!" A great burden had lifted from his hand, which now felt completely relaxed. Sonic sighed as the feeling spread along his arm.

"It is a part of you, Sonic," said Shadow, "it's your raw Chaos energy given form, and some of mine too."

"Yours?" asked Sonic.

"I thought… you could use a boost," said Shadow, turning his head away. Sonic wondered if he didn't look slightly bashful, another first for Shadow if it was true. Sonic felt bashful as well, the idea of Shadow's energy… _inside_ him brought a deep heat to his face that he found hard to shake off.

"Thanks, Shads," said Sonic, smiling warmly, "I've never felt anything like this before. It's so cool! What should I do now?"

"Okay, close your eyes again," Shadow said, "and picture something more complex, like the butterfly. Try to focus on something that makes you happy, and imagine that thing exists inside the sphere."

Sonic focused again, trying to think of something that would make him happy. When his mind settled on the perfect thing, he screwed up his face again, picturing it inside the sphere.

"I should have known," Shadow's voice rang drolly in his ears. Sonic opened his eyes. Floating above his hand a chilli dog made from pure blue energy sparkled in the dim light of the cabin.

"Sorry," said Sonic, grinning, "but it's been ages since I've had a real one." Shadow rolled his eyes.

"Just let yourself relax completely, and feel the energy leaving you."

Sonic felt his arm returning to normal, and the Chaos chilli dog dissipated into blue sparkling light as if caught by a gentle wind.

"That was just the coolest thing ever!" said Sonic.

"Aren't you glad I showed you now?" said Shadow.

"Yeah, I suppose I am. But why did you want to so badly?" Shadow sat with his arm still across Sonic's shoulder, looking into the fire in quiet contemplation.

"I want... no, I _need_ to keep you strong Sonic. I need you to be the best you can be. This is part of that. If you're not, if you're faltering or doubting yourself, then I've failed."

"Failed? Failed at what?" Sonic said, "what are you trying to do?" Shadow turned to look at him, his red eyes shining in the light of the fire, and Sonic thought he saw a great sadness across his face.

"It's even worse now," he said, seeming to stare through Sonic's head, "now that I know how you _feel_ about me." Sonic nearly fell backwards. He knew. How did he know? He was asleep when Sonic blurted it out. Sonic's heart began to race, and he felt himself sweating; this was the moment their barely-begun friendship came crashing down in an avalanche of awkwardness.

"Y-you know?" Sonic said, before adopting a painfully forced grin, "I mean, what are you talking about, buddy? I have absolutely no idea what you could possibly mean by that." He began to giggle manically, avoiding Shadow's gaze and rubbing the back of his head. Shadow smirked, fixing him with a solid stare.

"Funny thing about me, Faker," Shadow said, with particular emphasis on that word which he now saved for moments of irritation with Sonic, "I don't really sleep in the same way as normal Mobians. I enter a hibernation state to recharge myself from background Chaos radiation, but I remain fully aware of everything around me, in case I'm attacked."

"Fully aware?" Sonic gasped, "then that means-"

"That I heard everything you said."

"Shadow," said Sonic, his panic threatening to send his head launching into space, "listen, I was stressed out by this whole situation, I didn't really mean-"

"You love me," whispered Shadow.

"Huh?"

"I haven't heard anyone say those words to me for over fifty years. You. Love. Me."

"Well, you see, the thing is," babbled Sonic, feeling like a spotlight was shining on him, "love can mean so many things, what I meant was-"

"You're a terrible liar, Sonic," said Shadow, now smiling warmly, "it's one your finer points. You're incapable of true deception because you're too honest, so why are you trying it now?"

"Enough!" Sonic said, throwing up his hands, "stop treating me like a research project! You would have thought someone like you would know how it feels to have someone pry into every which way your brain works. I'm fed up of you dissecting me all the time!"

Shadow sat in silence, staring at the floor. Sonic didn't expect anything resembling an apology from the Ultimate Lifeform, but he could tell his words had humbled him. Maybe he didn't realise he was doing it, Sonic thought, in which case, yelling at him and reminding him of his life as an experiment was a bit harsh. Swallowing his pride, he shifted over and placed a gentle hand on Shadow's shoulder.

"Shadow," he whispered, "It's true. I... I'm in love with you. Ever since we left that temple, I've done nothing but think about you. I'm crazy about you."

Shadow continued to stare at the floor, saying nothing. Sonic felt glad that Shadow wasn't trying to twist his head off, as he expected him to, but he found this silence unbearable. He considered saying something to break the deadlock of quiet, but what would he say? _Do you love me too?_ Even for him, that was too blunt; you don't just ask someone that straight up. Eventually the stillness became too great, and Sonic felt compelled to speak.

"Shadow?" he said, looking away and twiddling his fingers together, "do you-"

He jumped when a firm hand seized upon his own. Shadow had taken hold of his hand again, and it began to tingle. Feeling the warm, relaxing sensation of Shadow's Chaos energy entering into him, he began to focus on channelling his own into Shadow's hand. Around his glove a deep blue glow emerged, and around Shadow's an intense crimson shone. As the two colours flowed back and forth they merged, surrounding their hands with iridescent purple light.

Emerald eyes met crimson as the purple light crept along the two boy's arms, and the orange glow of the fire bathed them in warmth. Sonic felt a complete stillness overtaking him; the rest of the world around him, all his troubles of the past few days melting into the blackness of the night. There was only him. There was only Shadow. And their faces were barely inches apart.

Fireflies of blue, red & purple began to dance around them as they slowly moved towards each other. The stillness of the energy now completely enveloping him, Sonic felt himself falling towards Shadow. He closed his eyes, losing himself completely as their lips brushed slightly, feeling like a great chasm still needed to be crossed. He felt the warmth of Shadow's breath on his muzzle, his own breathing becoming strained as he yearned to take that final plunge. Placing his lips softly upon Shadow's he felt a wave of ecstasy creep along his spine, and a steady strong beating in his chest. Shadow's lips were wet and slightly cold, tingling with Chaos energy, and his breath hot inside him, but Sonic found his mouth welcoming, slowly moving his own mouth in time with Shadow's kiss. Sonic drew his body closer into Shadow, feeling the energy passing between them at every point they made contact.

As their lips continued to playfully mingle, Sonic dared not open his eyes in case it was all a dream. Shadow pulled away and he was forced to relent. He opened his eyes to a dazzling swirl and sparkle of multi-coloured light, which began to dissipate as Shadow's energy left him. Sonic felt his own body returning to him again, and he sighed with contented pleasure. The glow faded until only the blazing light of the fire filled the cabin once more, and the two hedgehogs sat staring into each other's eyes.

"I care about you Sonic," said Shadow, smiling contently, "you are the most important person in the world right now, and knowing you love me makes everything worthwhile."

He still hadn't heard those words he longed to hear, but he didn't need to. He had _felt_ the strength of Shadow's feelings in that kiss, in that exchange of energy between them.

"That was wonderful, Shadow," he said, "I love you."

Shadow pulled Sonic into a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around him, and Sonic buried himself in the soft warm black fur.

"I know," said Shadow, "you'll never be alone again, my friend."

Sonic's mind hesitated in its outpouring of emotion. _Alone?_ He thought, _What did he mean by that? I have loads of friends. If anything, he's the lonely one._ Dismissing the thought, Sonic assumed he meant his long period of absence from Tails.

He closed his eyes again, and sank further into Shadow's embrace, remaining there until the first light of the morning crept through the frost-covered windows.

~o~

* * *

"Let's go over this one more time, Mr. Knuckles."

In the darkened broom closet of an interrogation room, lit only by a lamp on the metal table in front of him, Knuckles sat tersely gripping the edge of his chair. His eyes cautiously traced the slow footsteps of the black feline Mobian pacing in front of him.

"You claim that Sonic & Shadow were impersonated by shape-shifting robots," said the grizzled cat, his pointed teeth shining in the lamplight, "am I right to say that's what you're telling me?"

Knuckles fur stood on end. This guy had a way about him, an aura of smugness that made the red echidna want to grab him and start pounding his head against the table. But even he knew assaulting a government agent was probably not the smartest move, especially as Rouge had been suspended for her part in recent events, and wouldn't be able to bail him out. Instead he gritted his teeth, staring the cat down.

"That's right," he snarled, "the copies were responsible for the destruction, not the real Sonic & Shadow."

"Okay, so where are these robots now?"

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Knuckles said in disbelief, " _you've_ got them! GUN agents seized them right after Sonic disappeared."

"We've no evidence the... _constructs_ displayed the ability to shapeshift," said the cat, smirking smugly again, "we've got our top scientists working on them now."

"No offense, buddy, but your 'top scientists' don't know shit. Eggman built those robots, and his knowledge far exceeds anything you chumps can come up with."

The cat took a seat opposite Knuckles, lazily drumming his fingers and looking down his nose at him.

"You seem to have nothing but praise for this 'Eggman,' otherwise known as Dr. Ivo Robotnik, Mobius' most notorious criminal mastermind. In league with him, are you?"

"That's not what I meant!" Knuckles seethed.

"Here's how I see it. Sonic & Shadow used Robotnik's knowledge to gain power, then they betrayed him to try and take Mobius for themselves. You and all your little friends are in cahoots with them, trying to feed us this bullshit about magic robots. Well, I'm not buying it!" He leapt to his feet, slamming both hands on the table and fixing Knuckles with a fearsome glare.

"Sonic & Shadow were caught at the scene of the crime," he continued, his voice growing louder by the second, "Multiple witnesses saw them murder people in cold blood. Your misplaced loyalty won't help change the fact that Sonic is a villain!"

Knuckles could take no more. With his heart thundering in his ears he leapt to his feet, and with a snarl of rage he threw his hands up, overturning the table. The lamp skidded to the floor, smashing the bulb and plunging the room into darkness. The cat fell backwards, landing with a heavy thud. Knuckles felt his hot blood coursing through his veins, his breath heavy and panting.

"Sonic may be a lot of things," he growled, "He's a stuck-up, selfish, vain, egotistical jerk. But he's _not_ a murderer; he's a hero, and he's my friend, and I will _not_ let you talk about him like that."

"You just made a big mistake, buddy," the arrogant voice of the cat came from out of the darkness, "we're gonna put you away for a long time for this."

Before Knuckles could answer, the door in front of him slid open, and the main lights flickered to life, allowing Knuckles to see the havoc he had wrought. The table lay on its side, the lamp had been thrust into the corner in a puddle of broken glass, and the cat propped himself up by one elbow, cradling a trickle of blood seeping from his nose.

In the doorway stood a tallish grey wolf. From beneath the scar across his eye, he exuded an air of authority, and he glanced back and forth between the cat and Knuckles with cold indifference.

"Simmons?" he said, "What's been going on in here?"

"Just a little trouble with the prisoner, Sir" said Simmons the Cat, rising to his feet. The wolf sniffed haughtily, almost reminding Knuckles of Shadow.

"You're dismissed, Simmons," said the wolf. The cat rose to his feet and headed out the door, looking back over his shoulder to send one last icy glare towards Knuckles. "And you, Knuckles," continued the wolf, "are free to go."

"Hah!" said Knuckles, grinning, "So you finally believe my story, eh? Took you chumps long enough." The wolf didn't flinch, instead sighing dejectedly.

"Not... exactly." He stepped to one side, and Knuckles heart jumped for joy when he saw who stood there.

"Tails!" he cried, running forward to meet the little fox. He swept him up into crushing hug, elation taking over his whole body.

"Good to see you too, Knux," Tails gasped.

"I'm so glad you're okay," said Knuckles, putting the dazed Tails back down to the floor, "did you find Sonic?" Tails shook his head.

"I'm afraid not," he said with a slightly sad expression, "He and Shadow have both disappeared off the grid. But Commander Baxter here is going to help with that, aren't you Commander?" Tails grinned at the wolf, almost looking like Sonic in his mischievousness. The wolf rolled his eyes and sighed a low rasping breath.

"Yes, okay, let's just get this over with," said Baxter.

As they marched out into the corridor, Knuckles nudged Tails in the ribs.

"Where are we going? Let's blow this joint!"

"We can't leave," said Tails, "we need to go to the lab where GUN are keeping those robots."

"Why?" whispered Knuckles.

"Because it's the only way to find Sonic, and to prove his innocence. Trust me Knuckles, I know what I'm doing."

Knuckles put his arm around Tails shoulder, pulling him tight to his body.

"I know, little buddy. I know."

~o~

* * *

The doors to the lab slid open with a self-satisfied hiss, and Tails took the lead entering the gleaming white room, Knuckles and Commander Baxter following close behind. Complex scientific apparatus covered every table and workbench, while Mobians in white coats studied and scrutinised charts and screens littered with numbers, graphs and readouts. Tails smiled to himself; he recognised most of the equipment in the room, and had built superior versions of most of them. A Waveform Analyser here, a Chaos Separation Loop there, the whole room was like a toy shop to him.

As they advanced, a female white fox approached, holding a clipboard.

"Commander!" she said in surprise, "we weren't expecting an inspection so soon. We haven't finished our analysis of the constructs yet."

"At ease, Dr... Samuels," said Baxter, reading her nametag, "this isn't a spot-check. My... _colleagues_ here think they could add new insight to the project."

Samuels glanced at Tails, then at Knuckles, clearly incredulous at Baxter's statement. It was obvious to Tails she thought they didn't look like scientific experts. She was half-right; Knuckles wouldn't know where to start, but Tails was prepared to add her to his growing list of adults foolish enough to underestimate him today.

"S-sir," she said, "we have enough people working on this project already, I don't think these... _people_ can help-"

"Have you run a quantum spectro-analysis on the robot's energy capacitors?" Tails interrupted, "have you applied Farouk's equation to the residual Chaos outliers?" Samuels blinked at him several times, looking back and forth between Tails unmoving glare and the Commander.

"How did you..." she said with trepidation, "I mean, yes we have. But I don't see how-"

"That's enough, Samuels," said Baxter, gesturing with an open palm, "show us to the constructs, if you please."

"Y-yes Sir."

She led them to a set of double doors at the back of the lab. Pushing through them they entered a large circular room that Tails thought looked almost like an operating theatre. In the dim light Tails could see two metal tables surrounded by all manner of spectrometers, instruments and mechanical arms. On each table, a spindly silver robot lay sprawled out like a corpse in a morgue. Tails shivered slightly, compared to the main lab, a chill permeated the air and dug through his fur.

"What have you got so far, Samuels?" asked Baxter.

"From our initial findings, we detected slightly higher levels of Chaos energy in these constructs than the usual background levels, but that can be attributed to the increased levels of energy present in the city during the recent crisis." She coughed slightly, nervous under the three pairs of eyes fixed upon her.

"Furthermore," she continued, "We've found no residual traits of morphic resonance, which leads me to conclude that the 'shapeshifting' story is a falsehood, or at very least a mistaken rumour."

"That's impossible!" cried Tails, "We saw those duplicates with our own eyes. One of them tried to kill me."

"You can't argue with the facts, Prower" said Baxter, smirking slightly at Tails' dismay, "but then, you seem to be quite comfortable with lying, don't you?"

Tails fumed, preparing to let the smug wolf have a piece of his mind. Sonic wouldn't take this sort of talk from anyone, and neither would he.

"Tails, come and look at this," Knuckles voice interrupted his fury. The red echidna stood between the two robots, looking back and forth between them with a confused look on his face.

"What's the matter, Knuckles?"

"This can't be right," said Knuckles, "One of these robots had its face smashed in when I retrieved it. It was the one that Sonic beat, I saw it."

Tails looked from one bot to the other. Both of their faces were featureless silver cylinders, gleaming in the dim light, not a scratch on either one.

"Are you sure?" Tails asked.

"I'm positive!" asserted Knuckles, and Tails could see no lie in his eyes, "I know what I saw!"

Fingers of terror crept along Tails spine. The implication of Knuckles' words hit him like a sledgehammer, and he felt his heart plummeting like a stone.

"We need to get out of here," he said, panic rising in his voice, "now!"

"What are you talking about?" said Baxter.

"Get out!" cried Tails, "lock down this room!"

A grating alarm shrieked through the chamber, reverberating off the walls in a piercing wail that set Tails teeth on edge. Red lights began to flash frantically, casting spasmodically writhing shadows across the walls. The Mobians in the chamber looked around frantically, their eyes filled with panic.

"What's happening?" shouted Knuckles over the din.

"Chaos energy is surging right in this room!" cried Samuels, "It's spiking!"

Something cold and metallic seized around Tails' throat. Turning to look he saw one of the robots sitting up, lunging at him like an animal. As he struggled against the crushing grip, terror overtook him when the robot's face began to melt and shift, the silver liquid sloppily transforming into a familiar face.

The face of Sonic.

"Thought you could get away from me Tails?" the freakish robot-Sonic hybrid gurgled through partially formed lips, "you can't escape me! I'm the fastest thing alive!"

Tails' terror threatened to overwhelm him. The familiar sensation of being choked sending his mind back to that awful moment back in the plaza, when death threatened to swallow him whole.

Knuckles had taken hold of the thing's arm, desperately trying to prise the strong grip away. With a sudden resurgence of confidence and burst of adrenaline, Tails swung his satchel upwards, striking the robot across the head with a crash. The choking hold relented, and gasping he began to run with Knuckles towards the door.

He tripped when something seized one of his tails. The robot lay face down of the table, dragging him backwards across the floor, its face constantly shifting between featureless metal and a psychotically laughing hedgehog.

A few deafening cracks rang through the air, and the robot spasmed, 'blood' and oil leaking out of freshly formed holes. Tails looked up to see Baxter pointing his pistol in his direction, smoke still billowing from the barrel. His namesake now free, Tails leapt to his feet, and sprinted for the door.

Seeing the robot thrashing on the table, unperturbed by its recently acquired bullet holes, Baxter beat a hasty retreat, Knuckles following close behind. They rushed through the double doors into the other lab, where Dr. Samuels and Tails anxiously awaited them. Leaping forward Samuels slammed her hand onto a big red square button on the wall, causing a large metal plate to slam shut over the door.

**WARNING. CHAOS ANALYSIS CHAMBER IN LOCKDOWN**

They heard a muffled thud, and Tails looked up to see the shambling, bleeding Sonic-monster leering through the reinforced glass.

"I'll kill you, Tails!" it shouted with glee, "There's nowhere to run that I won't find you!" Tails turned away, trying to ignore the horrible facsimile of his best friend.

"Holy... _shit!_ " exclaimed Baxter, gasping for breath, "what the heck was that?"

"Proof that we were telling the truth," said Tails with an air of composure. Rounding on Dr. Samuels, he fixed her with a stony glare. She balked before him, not even waiting to hear his angry demand.

"I swear," she stammered through barely restrained sobs, "I swear we didn't find anything! There was no morphic resonance, I'm sure of it. We ran the test multiple times."

"How in Gaia's name did a Chaos strike get inside the building?" said Baxter, buttoning down his rage, "The whole place is shielded, and we have stations that can dissipate any harmful buildup of Chaos energy within a hundred miles. This shouldn't even be possible."

Tails paced slowly across the lab, stroking his chin contemplatively. Inside his mind the dots began to join together.

"Tails?" said Knuckles, "what is it? What have you got?"

"Someone's playing a very dangerous game," said Tails, turning to face the others, "that wasn't just a random surge. Somebody was able to sneak a targeted Chaos strike right under GUN's radar with incredible precision, seemingly to go after me, and they must have remotely drained the morphic resonance to cover their tracks. Which means two things…" The onlookers remained silent, transfixed by Tails' command of the situation.

"Firstly," said Tails, "Eggman was never behind this; someone else has been pulling the strings the whole time. And secondly..." he trailed off as the weight of his realisation struck him.

"Commander!" he cried, "you lost track of Shadow's Chaos signature after he Chaos Controlled out of Station Square, right?"

"That's right," said Baxter, "we can usually track Shadow via the trail of Chaos energy, but he didn't show up near any of our tracking stations, meaning he's either a long way away, or didn't manage to reform his body and is dead. What are you suggesting?" Tails ignored the Commander's latter suggestion. If Shadow died while teleporting, so did Sonic; he wasn't prepared to entertain that possibility for a nanosecond.

"I'm suggesting," he said, unperturbed, "that someone with enough knowledge of Chaos manipulation to completely bypass your systems would have no trouble locating Shadow. Oh no, no, no, this is bad, this is very, very bad." He began to pace, nervously nibbling the ends of his fingers.

"Tails?" said Knuckles, "What's the matter?"

"Sonic & Shadow are in danger!"

~o~


	16. XV – Forest of the Dead

**XV – Forest of the Dead**

Freezing air whipping through his quills. Fine white powder spraying into a cloud behind him. Tall, lean trees passing by him at blinding speed. This is what he lived for, to feel the rush of unrestricted freedom.

The sun shone brightly enough to pierce the white fog that hung like a veil over the absolute stillness of the woods. Sonic's heart raced as he carved a path through the blanket of snow; he didn't care where he was going, he just had to run and never stop. Pure happiness coursed through his veins, he was finally free, after days of being confined, beaten, taunted and broken, he was free to do what he did best.

The elation he felt had been sharpened by recent events. He had finally kissed Shadow, and it had been better than he could have possibly imagined. He had confessed his love for the black hedgehog, and seemed to be met with approval, although in a strange way that seemed typical of Shadow. _Maybe that's what I like about him,_ thought Sonic, _I can honestly say he's not like any other person I know. He just… handles everything differently._

Sonic's musing came to a stop at the same time as his body. His foot snagged onto a buried tree root, and he lurched forward, soaring through the cold winter air and landing face first into the soft white powder. Shaking off the cold and wet snow, he heard someone slowly clapping nearby.

"Good one, Faker!" said Shadow. Sonic had unintentionally circled back around to the cabin, where Shadow stood on the front porch, leaning on the wooden railing and watching him.

"I meant to do that." Sonic rose to his feet, brushing himself down. When he met Shadow's eyes, he smiled, and Shadow smiled back. Ever since their kiss, Shadow had totally softened to him. He smiled when Sonic smiled, he laughed when he laughed, and he even called him 'Faker' with a playful lilt, instead of complete contempt. He could still make snarky remarks, and Sonic didn't kid himself that Shadow wouldn't turn into his mean old self if the situation called for it, but he sighed contentedly in his heart, glad that he had actually managed to do the impossible; he had made Shadow happy.

He hoped.

Marching up the creaky wooden steps, Sonic quickly planted a kiss on Shadow's cheek, making an exaggerated 'mwah' sound. Shadow rolled his eyes, returning the favour with only the slightest touch of his lips to Sonic's cheek.

"I'm glad you're finally back, Sonic," he said, "we need to make a supply run."

Sonic grimaced, nodding in silent agreement. They had found the cabin to be stocked with only a few depressing canned foods, which he was sure bothered him far more than it did Shadow. He didn't expect chilli dogs out in the back of beyond, but anything had to be better than what they had in the cupboard.

"Where are we going anyway?" asked Sonic, "do woodlands have supermarkets these days?"

"I found a map in one of the drawers in the bedroom," said Shadow, "there's a small town not far from here. As well as food, we need some fuses; maybe then we can get the electricity working."

"Can't we just zap it with our magic powers?"

"Not unless you want to spend all day with your hand in the generator," Shadow said, glaring, "and it's not 'magic' Sonic, it's _science_. Learn the difference."

"You sound more like Tails every day, buddy," Sonic said, throwing his arm around Shadow's shoulder.

"Hmph!"

"Hey, I meant that as a compliment!"

"Whatever," said Shadow, brushing him off, "are you ready to go now?" Sonic took Shadow firmly by the hand, throwing him a sly wink.

"I'm always ready!" he said, before another sneaky kiss on Shadow's cheek, "how far is this town anyway?"

"Just over a mile," said Shadow as their feet began to crunch against the snow in front of the porch, "we'll run most of the way, and then walk the rest. We need to avoid drawing attention to ourselves, so no showing off, no antics, and especially no boasting about who you are."

"Looks like you'll have to gag and bind me then," said Sonic, raising his brow suggestively.

"I'm serious, Sonic," Shadow said with a stern look, "hopefully this place is so much of a backwater that nobody's heard of you."

"Somebody not having heard of me? Impossible!" said Sonic, laughing.

"We can but hope…" Shadow drawled. With a billowing cloud of white dust the two boys shot through the woods hand in hand, carving deep channels into the otherwise pristine white surface.

As the flurries swept past him, Sonic grinned ecstatically. Going for a run in remote woodlands may have brought joy to Sonic's heart, but doing it while holding the hand of one he had grown to love dearly?

He could get used to that.

~o~

* * *

Sonic idly thumbed through a glossy magazine, pretending to know what he was looking at. The page swarmed with unreadable Cybernian, apparently showing the President meeting the Prime Minister of Kingdom Isle. He didn't really care about politics; he was only trying to distract himself whilst Shadow did the shopping.

He had been on his best behaviour since they had entered the squalid little town, restraining himself from commenting on everything; from the drab ugly concrete buildings to the way the folks shuffled around like they were on their way to a funeral. At one point he had been tempted to give autographs, but the way the old ladies stared at him suspiciously made him change his mind.

Even here, in the pokey little shop with the paint peeling off the walls and an overpowering smell of fish, the owner had given them nothing but strange looks. The polar bear behind the counter didn't say a word as he rang up Shadow's bundle of goods, but Sonic could practically hear his mind scrutinizing them both. Sonic couldn't blame him really; how often do two technicolour, drop-dead gorgeous hedgehogs wander into a town like this?

"Ya ne videl vas zdes' ran'she. Vy novichok v oblasti?" he heard the snow-white bear mumble. Another voice rose up; a deep, sultry voice that made Sonic's fur stand on end.

"My prosto proyezdom," said Shadow, "My puteshestvuyem po vsemu miru, moy drug i ya." Sonic put down his magazine, coyly sidling over to Shadow and nudging him in the ribs.

"You speak Cybernian?" he whispered in disbelief.

"I speak all Mobian languages," said Shadow, a self-assured smirk on his face, "circa 1957, of course. One of the perks of being the Ultimate Lifeform." For once, he managed to say that title without sounding pompous.

"You're full of surprises, Shadow," said Sonic, smiling with pride, "got anything else I should know about?" Shadow gave him a friendly look, before turning his head away. _He's blushing,_ thought Sonic, _I am actually making Shadow blush. I am too awesome for words._

Shadow handed the shopkeeper a handful of rings, and swept up a bundle of batteries, fuses, matches and assorted foods into his arms, wrapped in a brown burlap cloth. As they approached the door Sonic ran ahead to hold the door open for him. Shadow nodded to him as he went past, and Sonic waved to the shopkeeper as he followed behind.

"I hope you two are very happy together," said the bear, in a strange tone that Sonic thought to be slightly mocking. As the door swung shut behind him with a tinkle of its bell, Sonic's mind raced around in confusion.

"Wait a sec," he said as he stood on the stone grey steps leading up to the door, "I understood that! That guy was speaking Albian!"

"Don't be ridiculous," snorted Shadow, "this is an ex-Staviet town. They're very guarded about western influences here. He's a fairly advanced age; he probably never left this town in his whole life, let alone took the time to learn Albian."

Sonic didn't feel convinced; unless he had magically learned Cybernian in the time it took to cross the shop, there was something else going on.

"I'll go back and speak to him," said Sonic turning back towards the door, "just to make sure."

"Uh… Sonic?" said Shadow.

"What is it?" asked Sonic as he span back around, "Oh…"

All around them, the citizens of the town were watching them, fixing them with cold hard stares that chilled Sonic more than the arctic wind. Slowly, with focused, deliberate steps they advanced towards the hedgehogs. Old ladies and young boys, postmen and lumberjacks, they all marched together, closing in on Sonic & Shadow in an ever decreasing circle.

"Err… Shadow?" said Sonic, "what the heck's going on? I assume these guys aren't after a signed photo?"

"Get back inside the shop, Sonic," Shadow growled, fixing Sonic with a ferocious and familiar glare that terrified him.

"No!" cried Sonic, "Shadow, don't hurt these people!" Shadow's glare became even sterner, but coupled with a pained look. Sonic thought Shadow looked _offended,_ of all things.

"Get. Inside. NOW!" he bellowed, and Sonic flinched slightly, backing up the steps to the door behind him. With a gentle tinkling sound the door flew open, and he pressed himself against it as it closed, hoping to hear the outcome of whatever Shadow was planning.

Behind him a loud clicking made his fur stand on end, and slowly he turned round to face the source of the noise. He found himself staring down the dark barrels of a shotgun.

"Not so fast, Sonic," said the polar bear, "Heh. Get it, not so fast?" Sonic hadn't imagined it; the gruff bear was speaking Albian, without the slightest hint of a Cybernian accent. Something about the guy's voice seemed familiar to him, like someone he'd knew very well but couldn't place.

"H-how do you know my name?" said Sonic, not daring to look away from the deadly weapon that had been practically rammed up his nose. The white bear smirked arrogantly, almost like Shadow used to when he believed himself the victor.

"We're all familiar with you around here, Sonic," he said with relish, "what makes you tick, what you love and hate. What you're _afraid of._ We know you better than you know yourself."

"Oh really?" said Sonic, puffing up his chest, "Then surely you know…" He swept his foot upwards, launching into an overhead kick. Thrusting his foot into the weapon he sent it spinning out the bear's massive hands and through the air. Flipping over completely and landing in exactly the same position as he started, with not a quill out of place, Sonic held out his hands. The gun landed neatly within them, pointing at its original owner.

"…that I don't like guns!" Sonic continued, "Now how about you-"

A blinding flash stung his eyes, and a deafening wall of sound hammered into his eardrums. Sonic felt the shotgun impacting into his stomach, sending him reeling. Trying to regain his balance he threw the weapon to the floor, flailing his arms and crashing into a set of shelves, sending tins scattering across the floor.

Sonic tried to rise to his feet amidst a shower of cans raining on his head. His ears whined in pain, a sickly burning smell invaded his nostrils, and smoke billowed through the tiny shop, scratching his eyes. Through the swirling grey cloud Sonic saw a dark shape sprawled over the floor, and a familiar horror began to constrict his chest.

The door crashed open, the frantic chiming of the bell distracting Sonic from his rising grief. Shadow slammed the door behind him, pressing up against it with all his weight, and Sonic thought the Ultimate Lifeform looked more than a little scared.

"Sonic, are you alright? Are you hurt?" he cried, before snapping his face back to his indifferent scowl, "I mean, what's going on in here?"

Trembling, Sonic looked from the body sprawled across the floor to Shadow.

"I...I shot him," Sonic said with a quavering voice, "My hand slipped... I didn't mean to. I'm sorry!" He could feel his stomach twisting up in knots again, his heart beating like it wanted to claw its way out of his chest. "I'm sorry," he whispered to the still body.

"I wouldn't worry about that right now," said Shadow, "we have a problem." At that moment the door behind him shook with a loud thud, and Shadow pushed back, struggling to hold it in place.

"Wouldn't worry?" Sonic gasped in disbelief, "I just killed someone! Doesn't that bother you at all?"

Another bang on the door, this time almost forcing it open. With a snarl Shadow forced his arms against it, slamming it shut once more. He fixed Sonic with a freezing glance.

"Why don't we have our little 'couple's therapy' session _after_ we escape the army of homicidal robots trying to kill us? Get some perspective!"

"Homicidal robots?" asked Sonic.

"Yes Sonic, Robots!" snapped Shadow, his icy demeanour crumbling into panic, "They're all fucking robots! The whole town's coming after us."

As if on cue, a low groaning made Sonic's ears prick up, and slowly he turned to look at the body of the shopkeeper.

The body that was now sitting upright.

Covered in blood, its white fur burnt black in places, and with one eye completely mangled beyond recognition, the polar bear slowly and awkwardly staggered to his feet. Sonic's heart thundered in his ears as the shambling thing stared right into him.

"Sonic..." the bear-thing said, laughing a deep dark laugh that made the air feel heavy, "How many times are you going to kill, and still feel bad about it? You can't deny your true self. Soon the heart of you will be so withered you'll feel nothing but hatred _._ "

"That voice!" said Shadow, "it sounds just like-" The door crashed open behind him, knocking him onto his front. Sonic dashed over to Shadow to lift him to his feet. Through the door the citizens of the town clambered like zombies, their hands crackling with various colours of Chaos energy, filling the shop with a rainbow of lightning, but what shocked Sonic the most was their eyes: Their eyes had become completely black, save for a pinprick of red light shining in the abyss.

"Shadow, do something!" Sonic cried as the bots closed in on them, "get us out of here!"

Shadow seized Sonic firmly by the waist.

"CHAOS CONTROL!" he shouted.

Nothing happened.

"CHAOS CONTROL!"

Again, no flash of red light appeared before Sonic's eyes.

"CHAOS BLAST! CHAOS-"

"What's going on?" said Sonic, after a devastating explosion failed to materialise. Shadow had begun to look around frantically, fear permeating his face.

"Something's draining my Chaos energy," he said, "I think they are! Sonic, I can't save you, I've failed you! I've failed!"

Shadow's panic-stricken voice struck Sonic, and the realisation lit a fire under him. This is how he had been before; weak, afraid, scared of his own failings. Seeing Shadow break like this reminded him of what he had forgotten these past few days. Heroes have failings, heroes have fears and doubts, but they needed to put those aside when the call to action came. They needed to be ready to fight. And finally, he was ready to be a hero again.

"If anyone's going to do any saving today, it's me!"

He began to run around Shadow in a tight circle, a wall of wind picking up behind him. The loose items in the shop began to swirl around them, tin cans striking the robot citizens and forcing them back. Forcing himself to run faster and faster, he became an impenetrable blue wall around Shadow. The wind sweeping behind him grew in ferocity, forcing the robot-zombie things to their knees to steady themselves. With a painful groan the roof of the shop tore away, adding splinters and twisted metal to the hurricane swirling around them.

Sonic pushed himself harder, fuelled by his determination to save Shadow. His legs burned as he pushed his muscles to their limits, and the sheer force of the air threatened to pull his quills out. The wind caught under him, and he began to lift off the ground, running on the air itself, lifting Shadow, a cloud of debris and a few unfortunate robots through the roof with him into the sky.

With a sonic boom he changed course, tackling Shadow across the waist. The cloud of carnage exploded across the town, scattering its detritus to the four winds, while the two hedgehogs soared over the lonely buildings and towards the forest.

Landing in the soft snow the two hedgehogs skidded across the white blanket. Carving a deep channel in the powder, they narrowly avoided the onrushing pine trees, finally slowing when a large snowdrift built up behind Shadow's head.

Sonic lay on top of Shadow, letting the quiet desolation of the woods calm his nerves. Staring into each other's eyes, they both began to laugh. The joyful laugh of people whose lives had been mere moments from ending. Ignoring how strange it was to hear Shadow laugh with pure joy as opposed to arrogant contempt, Sonic thrust his lips upon Shadow.

His lips burned with heat compared to the frigid air around him, and Sonic relished in feeling his hot breath inside him. This was not the tentative and cautious teasing of their first kiss. Sonic unleashed the full force of his passion for Shadow upon the black hedgehog, breathing his masculine scent deep inside himself, relishing the softness of his fur against his own. Playfully his tongue explored his partner's mouth, gently teasing its wet and willing counterpart into an embrace of flesh. As they thrust their bodies together, the heat of their exchange threatened to melt the snow itself.

Shadow suddenly pushed Sonic away, leaving the blue hedgehog desperately yearning for more. He tried to move in again, but Shadow shoved him with enough force to push Sonic to his feet.

"There's no time for this!" cried Shadow, "Those robots will be coming for us."

Around him Sonic heard the snow parting and the trees shaking their frost covered needles to the ground. A blur shot past him on the left, then to the right, zipping in and out of the trees.

"Er… I think we should probably run for it," Sonic said.

Shadow leapt to his feet, and without any more hesitation the two hedgehogs sped off into the snow, kicking up a cloud of white dust. As they weaved between dark trees, Sonic caught sight of blurs moving alongside him. He couldn't believe these things were keeping pace with him; only Shadow could match his speed, and that was with help from his special skates.

One of the blurs closed in on him, and Sonic saw a female Mobian, a seal who looked about ninety years old lunging for him. On the other side of him, a small artic fox cub ran after Shadow. Both of them had the cold black void in their eyes that sent a chill down Sonic's spine, and behind them more blurs could be seen approaching.

Facing forward again, Sonic saw a larger pine tree rapidly advancing on him. Sidestepping to the left, he heard the crunch of the old seal smashing into it, but didn't look back, laughing a little on the inside at the thought of it. A steep embankment rose upon his right side, and he was forced to run down the channel of a frozen stream, losing sight of Shadow completely.

Reaching the bottom of the stream, Sonic skidded across a frozen pond, leaping to the bank for fear of the ice breaking beneath him. Rising to his feet, he could see no sign of his pursuers.

Something shot past the trees to his left.

The trees to his right shook as a blur whipped past them.

Through the labyrinth of trees he could see them, indistinct blurs of the townspeople disrupting the stillness of the woods.

He heard the rush of air approaching, and span round to see a fist flying towards his face.

~o~

* * *

Sonic opened his eyes to see the trees reaching up into the white sky above him. His entire body crawled with piercing cold, and his fur was brittle and stiff with frost. Slowly he pushed himself up from the freezing ground, his muscles drained of energy and seized up. Shivering uncontrollably he rose to his feet, rubbing his arms to try and generate some extra heat.

"Sh-sh-shadow?" he chattered, "Are y-y-you th-there?" The otherworldly silence of the woods greeted him, and in every direction the same sight met his eyes; pine trees stretching into white fog, and an endless carpet of snow.

He couldn't see the frozen pond anymore. Despite every part of the woods looking the same to him, he could tell he wasn't where he had been when he had blacked out. Had someone moved him?

_Why didn't they kill me?_ He thought, although he felt like he was almost dead anyway. The biting temperatures stabbed into every part on him, and he seethed with icy breath constricting his lungs. His thoughts drifted to the cabin's blazing fire, and how he longed to be there again, with Shadow, safe, warm, and in love.

Recalling the fire, and recalling Shadow, an idea started to form in his mind. Closing his eyes, he tried to concentrate despite his pain. Focusing hard on the image of warmth, he began to feel a tingle all through his body. Sonic opened his eyes to see a cobalt glow enveloping him. A rush of heat shot through him, giving the soothing sensation of a warm bath. The snow began to melt from his fur, evaporating into steam, and his muscles relaxed and recharged. As the blue light faded and the cold nipped at him again, Sonic breathed a sigh of relief.

"I gotta thank Shadow for teaching me that," he said aloud. This was one gift no-one else could have given him; the mastery of Chaos Control. He still had a long way to go to match Shadow's skill, but he was grateful for what little he did know.

Sonic's ears twitched. He could hear something nearby; a quiet noise that couldn't have been heard anywhere but this desolate wilderness. Sonic thought it sounded like somebody was crying. Cautiously, he crept around the trees to where the sound seemed to resonate from.

His heart leapt into his mouth when he saw himself sitting in the snow.

Kneeling down, arms slumped by his side and hunched over, a blue hedgehog wept quietly into his muzzle, occasionally making an unintelligible sound like weak pleading. With his fur standing on end, Sonic crept towards the figure, hand outstretched in anticipation of a possible attack.

"H-hey there," said Sonic, trying to sound friendly despite his wariness, "are you alright?" He wasn't sure why he felt helpful towards this one. The last copy of himself he'd met turned out to be a total psycho, but this wasn't the same one as before, was it? Sonic told himself it couldn't possibly be; that other Sonic wouldn't act like this.

The other Sonic didn't look up, and continued to sob, shaking his head from time to time. Sonic felt sure he was walking straight into a trap, but he couldn't bear to watch someone cry. He had to help, even at a cost to himself.

"Buddy?" he said cautiously, "What's the matter?" The other Sonic looked up at him with glistening emerald eyes, and the most devastating expression Sonic had ever seen.

"What's wrong?" Sonic asked, desperate for a reply. The other Sonic pointed up into the trees. Sonic's followed his arm up above him, and he froze to the ground when he saw it.

In the tree there was another Sonic. From the high boughs of the tall trees a thick rope dangled down, wrapping itself into a noose. The limp lifeless body of Sonic swayed in the soft breeze, his eyes wide open with terror, a pink tongue lazily hanging from the side of his mouth. Sonic's heart practically exploded with fear to gaze upon the frightful vision.

"What… the… fuck?!"

Something caught the corner of Sonic's eye, and he turned. From a nearby tree yet another Sonic hung from a branch, in much the same manner as the first. Spinning around frantically, Sonic saw another body, and another, and another. In all the trees around him they hung like morbid decorations, mocking him with their dead eyes. Around the neck of each one a piece of paper hung by a string, with a hastily scrawled note written across them, in what he recognised as his own handwriting.

**COULDN'T TAKE ANY MORE**

**I'M SORRY TAILS**

**THIS IS WHAT I DESERVE**

Panic crept into him again, his eyes aghast at the display all around him. He remembered how he felt back at the town, when his self-doubt threatened to overtake him again, and he had turned it around to save the day. He had been broken too many times recently; he would not let himself be broken again. He felt the fire rising inside him again; he would not give up on Shadow, he would not give up on Tails, and he would _not_ give up on himself.

Dashing over to the crying figure, Sonic seized him by the scruff, forcing the pathetic hedgehog to look him in the eyes.

"Who's doing this?" he barked, "Tell me!"

The figure merely flopped limply in his grasp, wailing and weeping. Sonic bit down on his lip in fury, before striking the other him across the face with the back of his hand.

"I want to know who's behind this!" he shouted. The crying Sonic didn't react, and Sonic thrust him to the frost-covered ground.

"You won't break me!" Sonic shouted to the hanging figures, his voice echoing through the stillness of the woods, "This game of yours is over, whoever you are! Don't you know who I am? I'm Sonic the Hedgehog! I'm the Hero of Mobius, and I am not a killer! Nothing you do can change that fact. All I did was break some of your fancy toys! And I'll continue to break them until you show yourself!" Sonic panted with heavy breaths, visible as a cloud of steam surging from him in the cold winter air.

"Don't believe me, eh?" he said, trying to ignore the absurdity of shouting at a bunch of fake corpses, "Well then, how about this?"

He marched over to the crying Sonic, seizing his head between his hands. The other Sonic looked up at him with terrified, glistening emerald eyes.

"Oh gosh, I hope I'm right about this," said Sonic, biting his lip, "I'm sorry, buddy." With a lightning fast movement of his hands, he twisted the other Sonic's head to one side. An audible cracking sound made Sonic wince, and the copy slumped to the ground, eyes staring ahead blankly.

"See? Another toy broken!" he said in defiance, although his own skin crawled under his fur, and he had to clench his teeth to keep his stomach in check. From above him he heard several people clapping.

The hanging Sonic's had all turned their heads to look at him, grinning the sadistic smile the original copy wore when he had tried to drown him. The ropes around their necks began to grow longer, lowering the bodies to the ground with a slithering hiss, before detaching from the trees and melting into each Sonic's skin.

"Very good, Sonic!" said the one closest to him, but it was not his own voice. That voice, the same as the shopkeeper had used, the one that seemed so familiar to him, and that Shadow had begun to recognise. Dark, sultry, with an underlying layer of malice. Who did he know with that voice?

"It gets easier each time, doesn't it?" said the other Sonic "soon you won't feel anything at all when you take a life." Sonic began to edge backwards across the snow, pointing an accusing figure at the slowly advancing Sonics.

"I haven't taken a life," he said, "They were just robots. I am _not_ a killer." The other Sonic threw his head back and laughed, and all the others joined in, laughing out of sync like hyenas.

"We have memories. We have emotions. We can think and reason. What is the difference between us and you, except for what lies beneath the skin?"

"For starters," said Sonic, seething, "I'm a real hedgehog, and you're friggin' bugnuts! Not to mention the way you're putting others in danger."

"So does Robotnik, yet you let him live to wreak havoc time and again."

"What is this, a philosophy lecture?" said Sonic. He wasn't about to let some twisted robot preach to him about morals. The other Sonic began to clap slowly again.

"You're right, Sonic," he said, smirking, "it's unfair to judge you like this, you're not _technically_ a killer. Especially seeing as…"

A pair of gloved hands seized Sonic's arms from behind, pulling them behind his back with tremendous force. Looking over his shoulder Sonic saw his own face, that of the crying Sonic, except this time those eyes exuded only hatred. A clicking sound set Sonic's teeth on edge; the sound of neck bones realigning themselves.

"…we can't be killed!" said the Sonic holding him in place. Sonic thrashed against his doppelganger, but his strength was greater than his own, and he hardly budged.

"I've learnt from my mistakes in Station Square, Sonic," said the lead Sonic in front of him, "so long as these copies receive a steady supply of Chaos Energy, nothing can truly kill them. Fortunately your _boyfriend_ has more than enough going spare to provide them with what they need. They'll just keep coming until you give up and die, or he does."

"We'll never do that!" shouted Sonic, "Better to go down fighting than surrender to someone who won't even show his face."

"Very bold, very brave," said the fake Sonic, "I wonder if Tails will feel the same way?" Anger flared into Sonic's cheeks, and he snarled at his captor.

"Harm a fur on his head," he growled, "and I'll make you wish you were dead."

"An interesting proposal," said the other Sonic, advancing on him with a wicked smile, "you shall have to let me know what that feels like."

As the Sonic's slowly closed around him, they closed their eyes simultaneously. When they opened them again, they had become black as the night, with two pinpricks of red light boring into Sonic's soul.

~o~


	17. XVI – The Incredible Exploding Hedgehog

**XVI – The Incredible Exploding Hedgehog**

Crimson seeped into white, before vanishing. Flurries of snow rested upon still corpses, before the bodies rose to their feet in a cloud of white dust. In the middle of a forest clearing, Shadow fought a losing battle.

One of the bodies lunged for him, snarling like a rabid animal, its empty black eyes seizing upon him. With a solid blow and crunch of bone Shadow smashed it to the floor, where it lay still. Another ran for him, and with a quick movement he snapped its neck, the body losing none of its momentum as it collapsed into the snow. From every direction bolts of coloured lightning surged past him, forcing him to duck and weave.

He couldn't use his Chaos powers. Somehow the simulacra around him were draining his energy, using it against him, making his veins feel empty and his body starved. Shadow had to rely on his own impressive strength to survive. Grabbing onto a small wolf creature trying to jump on his back, he hurled it into a tree. Showers of snow and splinters accompanied the body in its heavy descent. No sooner had he readied himself for the next attack, when the previous two creatures staggered to their feet, their bones realigning themselves with a sick cracking sound.

"Damn you!" said Shadow, panting heavily, "why won't you stay dead?"

He could feel himself holding back. Even with strikes strong enough to kill a man outright, he still pulled his punches. Frustration gnawed at him; he could feel himself growing soft. When Sonic had chided him not to hurt the townspeople, he had felt _offended_. Offended that anyone could suggest it. But it was a fair concern; he was bred to kill, and didn't hesitate when it was called for, except now he found the idea distasteful.

_Sonic._ It was all that annoying blue idiot's fault, with his constant whining about the morality of things. Except that blue idiot loved him, and he was glad to be loved by him, his charge. He felt compelled to do anything to keep him safe, even letting his own guard down and holding himself back.

And now they had become separated, with Sonic perhaps facing the same fate as him, he became even more desperate to win, to save him. With his heart thundering in his chest he fought, surrounded on all sides against a foe that would not fall. More and more of the robotic zombies swarmed around him, disguised as old women, young men and little kids, except for those awful eyes. He thrashed against them, breaking arms, crushing faces and gouging eyes, but still they kept coming.

He faltered as they dogpiled into him, a mass of clawing arms and snarling faces, and he felt the last of his strength leaving him. As they tried to drag him to the ground, a gasp of strangled air escaped his lungs.

"Sonic!" he gasped, a single tear rolling down his cheek, "I'm sorry, I wasn't strong enough..."

Darkness overtook his vision, but in his ears a deep low rumble grew in intensity, like the sound of an oncoming train. Turning his head, a flash of brilliant blue light from deeper in the woods parted the darkness. As the wall of cobalt light rushed towards him with a deafening howl and torrent of snow, the robots unhanded him and began to flee.

Shadow stood firm, placing his hand in front of his face to shield his eyes from the blinding tsunami of light. As the burning heat of the wave engulfed him, he saw only blue, and then nothing but blackness.

~o~

* * *

Tails opened his eyes slowly to a dim cool light. Cold hard metal brushed against his cheek, and he looked along a workbench cluttered with scientific instruments. Lifting his head he saw he was still in the GUN laboratory, although a deathly quiet permeated the air.

_That's funny_ , thought Tails, _Knuckles and I were in the canteen when I nodded off. How did I get back here?_

They had spent all day at the GUN headquarters, waiting on reports of excess Chaos activity, hoping for some clue about Sonic's whereabouts, or at least the location of the mysterious Chaos Controller that had attacked the building. The former would have been preferable to Tails. Eventually they ended up playing cards in the canteen, where Commander Baxter had given them sporadic updates on their progress, or lack thereof.

"Knuckles?" Tails called to the empty lab, "Are you in here?" No sound came back to him, and his own voice sounded muffled, like it was trapped inside his own head. The light in the room seemed unreal to Tails, like it wasn't really there.

His pondering ceased when he heard the gentle hiss of something sliding open behind him. Turning around he saw the security door to the Chaos Analysis Chamber slowly opening on its own volition. His heart ricocheted off his ribs, and he throat became dry with fear. He crept behind one of the workbenches, peeking out to see if his worst fear would emerge from those double doors.

"Hiya, Tails!" said a cheerful voice. Tails looked up to see Sonic standing over him, and the little fox yelped in alarm. Sonic looked dismayed, holding his hands out to calm his friend.

"It's okay buddy, it's the real me. Look-" Sonic held up a head that looked just like his own, except for the vacant expression and bundle of wires hanging down from the neck, "I took care of that faker."

Tails leapt to his feet, throwing his arms around Sonic, burying his face in his soft, warm fur.

"Sonic! I'm so glad to see you again!" he cried, elation sweeping over him, "where have you been?"

"I'll tell you later," said Sonic, wrapping his arms around Tails, "right now, I want to make sure we're never kept apart again."

The fur under Tails face began to change. The dry softness became wet and sticky, clinging to his own fur. Tails opened his eyes to see Sonic's body morphing and shifting into liquid, grasping his face, filling his mouth and pulling him into Sonic's torso. Terror pounded in his heart, and he looked up to see Sonic grinning at him, that horrible, murderous grin the fake Sonic always wore.

"Mmph! Mmph!" Tails tried to speak, but his mouth was full of the sticky metallic substance, making him feel like he was drowning as his friend's body continued to suck him inside.

"Hush, Tails," said Sonic, gently stroking his friend's body as Tails' head became completely absorbed, "don't struggle, little buddy; this way we can be _together forever._ "

Tails heart now felt like it was about to explode, and he tried to scream. Something grabbed his shoulders and pulled him with great force, lifting his feet off the ground. As he felt his entire body slip inside the liquid form of Sonic, he heard another voice calling to him through the madness.

"Tails! Tails, wake up!"

Tails opened his eyes slowly to a dim cool light. Cold hard metal brushed against his cheek, and he looked along a bare canteen table. Lifting his head he saw he was still in the GUN canteen, and the sound of Knuckles voice permeated the air.

"Knuckles!" said Tails, rubbing his eyes, "I just had the most horrible nightmare."

"I wondered why you were making those weird moaning sounds," said Knuckles, "you look a mess."

Tails could feel the cold damp sweat matting his fur, and a dry heat that scratched his throat. His heart had finally slowed down to its normal rate, although it still felt like a solid weight inside of him.

"I feel it," he croaked, "so, is there a reason you woke me up, or..."

"Mr. Prower," he heard a voice say. Turning to face it, he saw Commander Baxter approaching with a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

"Commander Baxter," Tails said, nodding politely, "has there been an update?"

"Indeed there has. Barely five minutes ago, our sensors detected something quite extraordinary. Come to the control room and I'll show you."

The grey wolf led them out of the room and along another winding set of sterile white-walled corridors until they came to a set of double doors. Baxter held it open for them and they stepped through.

A large semi-circular room spread out before him, clamouring with noise. Across banks of computer terminals Mobians wearing headsets spoke frantically, hammering away at their keyboards, while others rushed back and forth carrying sheets of paper. Across the far wall, rising up to the high ceiling, a tapestry of screens flickered with graphs, maps and camera footage.

Baxter headed down the steps bisecting the chamber, nudging one of the operatives and gesturing to the screens. The operative timidly pressed a few buttons, and the wall of screens flickered into a complete map of Mobius. The clamour of the room softened to a low murmur as Baxter spoke.

"At approximately two minutes past one this morning, one of our stations in Cybernia detected a massive spike of Chaos energy in White Wilderness zone, near the town of Pokryvoshka" He gestured to his aide, and with a few more button presses the map zoomed in to Cybernia.

"This is satellite footage from the approximate time of the incident, taken around 0930 hours Cybernia time."

Tails squinted at the image on the screen. It was not zoomed in enough to make out anything distinct, but he could tell he was looking at a vast snow covered forest. As he stared intently, not sure what to look for, a blinding blue flash covered the whole screen before cutting to static.

"What was that?" asked Tails.

"We're not sure exactly," said Baxter with a concerned look on his face, "but wait until you see this next part." Another gesture, more button tapping. The screens changed again, this time showing a line graph with many peaks and troughs, all rendered insignificant by the enormous spike in the middle. Tails gasped, both overawed and excited at the same time.

"Holy cow!" he said, loud enough to turn everyone's head towards him, "7.6 on the Koniger Scale. You'd need an Emerald for that sort of reaction!"

"Koniger scale?" asked Knuckles.

"It's the standard unit of measurement for Chaos Energy fluctuations. Basically, we're looking at a huge outburst of Chaos."

"The station that contacted us reported their instruments were practically melting in their hands," said the nearest aide. Baxter threw him a stern look causing him to hunch over, slinking back to his screen.

"Very good, Smith," he growled, before turning back to Tails, "There is another part to this mystery that I'm sure you'll be interested in. We ran a time-lapse of the levels present in the area around the time of the incident. It seems there was a steady build-up of energy just before the explosion occurred. The interesting thing is, that energy had a signature known to our records. It was-"

"Shadow!" Tails cried, jumping up and down with glee, "you've found Shadow!" _Of course,_ he thought, _Shadow is more than capable of channelling that much power._ His heart skipped a beat, and the dark clouds that had been haunting him for so long parted. He was tantalisingly close to being re-united with Sonic, and the childish part of his mind brimmed with excitement.

"I said 'had' that signature, Prower," said Baxter, "The energy we measured before the explosion was Shadow's, but the signature changed the moment it happened."

"Into what?"

"Something we've never seen before."

~o~

* * *

Deep in the White Wilderness Zone, in a remote part of Cybernia at twenty-eight minutes past nine in the morning, a gathering of blue hedgehogs stood in a clearing.

Sonic thrashed against the other him who held tightly to his arms, to no avail. In front of him several more copies closed in on him, grinning wickedly, and with eyes that drowned in darkness.

"Your mind proved to be stronger than I thought, Sonic," said the hedgehog nearest to him, "but as the mind rules the body, so the body rules the mind, and your body is so very weak. How much pain do you think it can take?"

Sonic felt a tingle all throughout his form, but it didn't feel like fear. It was a warm, soothing sensation, one that he had only recently discovered, but seemed intimately familiar to him. Closing he eyes he focused on the sensation, and that's when he felt it. The air all around him buzzed with energy, shifting and wrapping around the trees and rocks. He couldn't see it, but he could feel its presence.

_Not its presence,_ Sonic thought, _his presence. Shadow. Somehow I can feel him all around me._ Slowly an idea formed in his mind.

"W-wait!" said Sonic, "you said you were using Shadow's energy to power yourself, right?"

"Yes," the fake Sonic gloated, "he doesn't know it, but Chaos energy is bleeding out of him, saturating this entire area in it, feeding our power and making us unstoppable." Sonic couldn't help but grin.

"Thanks, dumbass!" he said, stopping the other Sonics in their tracks, "that's just what I wanted to hear."

"Pah!" the other Sonic scoffed, "how does that help you, other than to irritate me? Let me replace your inane babbling with screams."

"Not gonna happen, buddy. The only thing you'll get from me is two words."

"Silence!"

Sonic closed his eyes, feeling the buzz in the air around him. Concentrating hard he focused on the energy, drawing it inside himself. Nurturing warmth began to fill his veins and muscles, revitalising them and making his fur stand on end. As the rush of energy swept over him, Sonic focused harder, sucking more and more of the energy into himself, the warmth swelling into a burning heat. When he opened his eyes, he saw his skin glowing blue, with arcs of cobalt lightning crackling across his fur.

"Impossible!" said the other Sonic, as he and the other copies backed away from him, a uniform look of terror across every one of their faces.

Sonic, now levitating slightly off the floor, his muscles searing with power, looked them straight in the eyes with a devastating scowl.

"Two words, asshole! Want to know what they are?"

The other Sonics turned to run, but it was too late.

"CHAOS BLAST!" Sonic bellowed. With a deafening roar the energy poured out of him, unwinding out of his soul like an unleashed spring. His vision was dominated by a dazzling wall of blue light that engulfed everything around it. Faster and the faster the energy surged forth from his body, and his muscles began to scream in pain. Sonic moaned in agony as water streamed from his straining eyes, and hot blood poured out of his nose.

With a reverberating thud the Chaos abruptly ceased, and an invisible wall struck him. He collapsed to his knees, panting heavily, every fibre of his being searing with pain and dry heat. Straining to lift his head, he squinted to see the aftermath of his actions.

The forest was gone. As far as his eye could see, where once there were trees in pristine snow, a forest of blackened, smoking stumps stretched out in all directions. The snow had vanished, and the blackened ground hissed with steam and boiling mud.

He tried to stand, to survey the wasteland of his own making, but his legs buckled under his weight, and he slumped to the ground once more.

He began to feel light-headed, and the world span around him. He giggled to himself, grinning for no reason. Everything was just so funny; he'd blown up the world, but he couldn't help laughing with giddy excitement. His head flopped around on his neck, his mouth hung limply open and his eyes became out of focus. He tried to look up when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching, and a shadow fell over him.

"Sonic!" cried Shadow, reaching down to lift him up, "are you alright? What happened?"

"Wheee," Sonic said as Shadow held him up by his armpits, his legs limply dragging along the floor, "I made a big boom, Shadsy." Shadow looked at him in disbelief.

"Sonic, you're delirious!" he said, "What have you done?"

"You're really pretty..." said Sonic, stroking Shadow's cheek clumsily with the back of his hand, much to Shadow's consternation.

"Sonic, try to focus. What did you do?"

"I had you _inside_ me, Shadsykins! Your energy stuff made me feel warm and tingly, then I got all... all sparkly and then, pshhoww! Big blue boom, bad guys fell down." He giggled, making strange gestures with his hands. Shadow's face fell.

"You... used a Chaos Blast?"

"That's the one! A Blaos Cast! Boooom!"

"You idiot!" Shadow said, shaking him briskly, his tone fierce and frantic, "You stupid little boy! A Chaos Blast takes years of mental conditioning to properly control. You could have started a chain reaction that would have destroyed the whole continent! You've probably given yourself Chaos poisoning, and, and..." Shadow's voice cracked as he spoke, and he seemed to be on the verge of breaking down completely, his eyes falling and becoming heavy with sorrow.

"I could have lost you again, Maria!"

Sonic's delirium faded for a moment, and he lifted his head to look into Shadow's eyes for the first time since their reunion.

"M-maria?" he asked. Shadow looked terrified, like an animal caught in the headlights.

"I... I meant Sonic!" he stammered, before pulling Sonic into a tight embrace, stroking his hands through his quills and cooing gently.

Sonic's mind tried to race, to figure something out about what Shadow had said, but his thoughts were like a carousel spinning out of control amidst a cacophony of distorted music. Enveloping himself in the warmth of Shadow's fur, he closed his eyes. The madness of his mind winding down to nothing, he drifted into a restless sleep.

~o~


	18. XVII – Fear of the Unknown

**XVII – Fear of the Unknown**

He pressed his nose up as close as he dare to the glass, trying to ignore the fingers of nervousness that played his spine like a Steinway. He had no reason to be afraid; there was no way anything could get through the reinforced glass, or the blast plate covering the door. Still, he knew what was coming, and that it would make his heart jump into his mouth and do the samba, but he had to see them again, see _him_.

Something about the monstrosity in its cage fascinated him, as well as terrified him. From a scientific point of view, it was a marvel; with good intentions the technology could work wonders.

But he knew it was more than just scientific curiosity that drove him. A perverse sense of excitement gnawed at his mind, accompanied by that most comforting of voices.

_If something frightens you, little buddy, don't run away from it. Face it head on. The rush of fear keeps you on your toes, makes you ready for anything._

He found it to be sound advice when Sonic had his back, not so much when he wasn't around. He supposed that's why he stared at the glass now; without Sonic, he had to face his fear head on.

His whole body jolted upward in alarm when something hammered on the glass from the other side. Fake Sonic stood leering through the pane. His body had almost taken on Sonic's form completely, but still sagged in places, running into liquid in others.

"Boo!" he shouted, before giggling, "Never gets old, does it Tails?" Tails could only stand in silence, trying desperately to pluck up his courage to tell the fake to shove it.

"I'm gonna have a lot of fun with you once I get out of here," Fake Sonic said, clawing his slimy fingers down the glass, "I'll show you what it means to be truly afraid."

"I-I'm n-not afraid of you," Tails stammered, hardly convincing himself, "I'll never be afraid of someone like you." The fake Sonic's expression shifted from sadistic pleasure to dark malice.

"You should be," he snarled, "I hate you, Tails, for what you've done to me, for the way you've betrayed me. We were a family."

_It's not Sonic saying that,_ thought Tails, _It just looks and sounds exactly like him, saying words that would kill me if he was the real deal._

"I haven't betrayed you, idiot!" shouted Tails, trying to put the unwanted thoughts to one side, "We were never a family, because you're not real! Haven't you noticed your body is falling apart?"

"How long do you think you can keep up with these pathetic lies?" said Fake Sonic, "I wonder if you'll lie to me when I'm skinning you alive?" He began to laugh, grinning again, that horrible murderous grin that turned Tails' stomach. Stepping backwards, Tails held his head in his hands.

_I'm sorry, Sonic. It's too much to take. I can't do this without you._

Tails jumped when he backed into someone standing behind him. Spinning around with his fur standing to attention, he looked up to see a white female fox looking down at him.

"Tails?" said Dr. Samuels, "what are you doing in here?"

"I-" Tails response caught in his throat; how could explain it to her? _I was trying to prove to myself that I'm a big boy, how lame is that?_ He saw Samuels looking over his head, her face a cross between confusion and disgust. Turning around, he saw the Fake Sonic still pressed against the glass, leering at them both.

"Horrible, isn't it?" said Samuels, "I would have purged the chamber when they first started moving, if it weren't for Baxter… I mean, the Commander's orders."

"What did he say?"

"He didn't want to divert any of our Chaos reserves to do the purge, in case we needed to up our shielding to fend off another attack." She knelt down, placing a comforting hand on Tails shoulder.

"Tails," she said gently, "you shouldn't be in here with… _that._ You shouldn't be alone at all, really." He wanted to feel annoyed at her for talking down to him, but something about her tone seemed genuine; motherly and compassionate. He felt his defences melting before her emerald eyes.

"Why don't we go the canteen for a bit?" she continued, "get you a hot chocolate or something?" He nodded silently, before taking her hand. As they passed through the doors out of the lab, he turned back to look at the containment chamber, at the glass and the horror that waited behind it.

It was still there. Still smiling.

~o~

* * *

Tails sat cradling his cardboard cup, letting the warmth of the drink nurture his hands, the smooth chocolatey smell playfully teasing his nostrils. The spacious canteen lay deserted apart from himself and the doctor, with a large metal shutter pulled down across the kitchen window. He had to settle for a watery cup of chocolate from a vending machine, but he didn't feel too choosy. Opposite him on the other side of the dull metal table, Samuels smiled warmly at him.

"I was amazed a kid like you knew so much about experimental Chaos physics," she said, "you're what, ten, twelve, and you're quoting Farouk's equation to a professional researcher. How did you get to be so bright?"

"Oh," Tails said, looking around and not meeting her eyes, "I… I er, read… a lot."

"You _read?"_ she asked incredulously, "That's all?"

He didn't want to talk about his intelligence. Not that he regretted his amazing capacity for learning, he just didn't feel like sharing the circumstances for how he acquired it with anyone other than Sonic. The memories were too painful to talk about.

"Yeah," he said, "Just a lot of hard work and study, plus a healthy enthusiasm for science."

"Wow," said Samuels, "That's really something. My nephew's about your age, and he just likes video games and TV. A kid like you… you should be in a museum."

"I'm glad you're impressed," said Tails, staring down into his chocolate, "Baxter didn't think I was capable enough to accompany the rescue mission for Sonic."

"Baxter's an ass," she said, blushing slightly for cursing in front of a child, "even so, that's a dangerous mission, Tails. It's no place for a kid, however smart they are."

"Hmph!" he sniffed, laughing a little when he realised how much he sounded like Shadow, "Me and Sonic get into more danger going out for ice cream. I know how to handle myself."

"You really look up to him, don't you?" said Samuels, prompting a nod and a reserved smile from Tails.

"Yeah," he said, with a resigned tone of longing, "He's my brother… adoptive brother, I mean, but he's more than that. He's my best friend in the whole world, and I lo…" He stopped himself, realising he was close to breaking again. Looking up to see Samuels looking at him like a fretful mother, he shook his head to clear out the blues.

"Anyway," he said, "how about those robots, huh?"

"Why are you so interested in them?"

"C'mon Doc," he said, smiling coyly at her, "as a Chaos researcher, you have to appreciate the complexity of them."

"I suppose," she said, rubbing the back of her head and looking away, clearly still unsettled by Tails' mature behaviour, "but why did they attack you? Why here?"

"I think… it was a message," he said after a moment of contemplation, "sort of like 'nowhere is safe, I can get you anywhere ha ha.' A warning from our mystery villain." Samuels laughed a little, shaking her head.

"What?" said Tails, laughing a little with her.

"Villains! Mysteries! Killer shape-shifting robots!" she said with deliberate wonder in her voice, making grand gestures with her hands, "your life sounds like a children's cartoon."

"Says the woman working on crazy science for a shady government organisation with a stupid acronym for a name."

She reached over to ruffle his head fur, and they both laughed. After a moment of smiling warmly at each other, Samuels looked up quizzically.

"I just realised. Your friend Knuckles. Where is he?"

"He's gone on the mission with Baxter," said Tails. He had insisted Knuckles accompany the rescue mission, mostly to make sure it _stayed_ a rescue mission. He knew how trigger-happy GUN could be sometimes, and he wasn't going to take the risk.

"Hope he knows what he's letting himself in for," said Samuels, "Baxter can be a real hard-ass… I mean, jerk."

"To be honest, Doctor, I'd be more worried about Baxter."

~o~

* * *

The low rumble of a jet engine shook beneath Knuckles' feet. The transport plane's darkened hold left him squinting, and every now and again a jolt of turbulence would almost hurl him from his seat.

He shifted uncomfortably where he sat, feeling constricted by the military fatigues and body armour they had insisted he wear. Only these military men tended to wear so many clothes, but he supposed necessity outweighed comfort. He glanced down at the gun they had given him, before looking away in disgust; they couldn't pay him to use _that._

Tails had begged him to go along with this, and he didn't blame him. How could any of them be sure GUN wouldn't shoot Sonic on sight? He trusted Baxter about as far as he could throw him, which to be fair was a long way, but he had to be on the lookout for any sign of trouble.

Opposite him, one of the soldiers fidgeted, glancing around anxiously. Knuckles leaned forward to get his attention. He had his helmet off, and Knuckles could see a young racoon, barely a day over eighteen.

"Hey dude," said Knuckles, loudly over the din, "everything alright?"

"J-just thinking about the mission, Sir," he said, not meeting Knuckles gaze, "I'm surprised they called me up for something like this, considering my history. I mean, we're going after Sonic and Shadow. They're like, I dunno, superheroes or something. What can we do against someone like that?"

"First of all... what was your name?"

"T-turner, Sir. Private."

"First of all, Turner, don't call me 'Sir,' my name's Knuckles. Second, this is a _rescue_ mission; we're trying to save them from whatever trouble they're in. Trust me when I say Sonic won't hurt you."

"And Shadow, Sir... I mean, Knuckles?" asked Turner. Knuckles hesitated for a moment.

"Just... don't make any sudden movements around him, alright?"

He laughed, and Turner nervously laughed alongside him, earning them some strange looks from the other soldiers. All of the men on the plane, with the exception of Baxter, seemed jittery, glancing around at each other and fiddling with their equipment, much less disciplined than he had expected from professional soldiers. There was one who did seem to fit the bill though, and he caught Knuckles' eye. A stocky figure who had kept his helmet on the entire flight and hardly moved, Knuckles could still tell he was a bat by his black leathery wings. Out of all the soldiers, this one made him the most wary.

As the plane soared through the night sky, Knuckles tried to get some rest, but he knew none would come until he found Sonic.

~o~

* * *

Through the frosted panes Shadow gazed into the snow-covered woods. In the cabin, far from the devastation wrought by Sonic, he lost himself in his own thoughts. Sonic lay slumbering by the open fire, his relaxed pose and the glowing orange warmth lending him a form of serene beauty. But Shadow struggled to look at him.

_I called him Maria,_ thought Shadow, _why did I call him that?_ Another voice joined the conversation; his own voice, yet belonging to another.

_Nothing I feel is real._

That's what the doppelganger had said, after Shadow had damaged him enough to make him realise what he truly was. He was consumed by triumph before, but now, in the quiet the words cut into Shadow like razors against his skin.

_Is that what's happening to me?_ he continued with his own mind, _Am I realising what I truly am?_

He turned around, heading over to where Sonic lay propped up with cushions. Gazing upon his slender form, Shadow felt the pang in his chest that continued to haunt him.

Dozing peacefully, there lay in front of Shadow his promise to Maria made manifest. He had loved her so much, more than any brother loves his sister, more than any husband loves his wife. She was his purpose in life, the only reason he deserved to exist. GUN, Black Doom, Robotnik; none of their ambitions mattered. He would not be a weapon to be pointed wherever they saw fit.

A heavy sigh escaped him as a thought weighed his mind down like a lead weight. Was it possible he loved Maria too much? To the point of obsession? He wondered if he truly loved Sonic, or whether he was simply loving Maria _more_ through him, and what he represented.

_Nothing I feel is real._

As he sat on the couch, tracing his eyes over Sonic's slender body and smooth fur, a sensation crept into his chest, constricting his lungs, forcing its way through his throat. He tried to bite down on it, but a small whimper escaped his throat. Feeling his face grow hot, he held a hand to his face, staining his glove with wetness.

Tears. Actual damn tears. He hadn't cried for over fifty years, and now he was weeping over his rival?

Except he wasn't his rival anymore, not really. He was his friend, his best friend. Even more so than Rouge, he was sorry to say. He challenged him both physically and emotionally, he found new ways to surprise him every five minutes, and he gave him a reason to care about something.

Did that mean he loved him for who he was? He wasn't sure. Maybe that was why he wept; he just wanted something about his life to make sense. He thought he'd found it in Sonic, but even that was a murky haze of confusing emotions.

He heard Sonic stirring, and tried to reign in his sniffling. Sonic was the last person he wanted to see him like this.

"Oh man," Sonic said groggily as he sat up, "if I pass out one more time..." He fixed his eyes upon Shadow.

"Shadow? Are you okay?" He climbed to his feet, stopping short when he was close enough to see Shadow's face.

"Shadow?" he asked cautiously, "Are you... crying?"

"N-no," he said, sniffling, "I've got a cold."

"You're a worse liar than me, Shads," Sonic said, wearing that annoying grin of his, "I know you can't get sick. What's wrong?"

"Why do you care?" he retorted, painfully aware of the wall he was trying to put between them. Sonic sat down on the couch next to him, wrapping a slender arm around his shoulder.

"Because I love you," he said. The words were like a sledgehammer that dashed Shadow's wall to pieces. He turned to face Sonic, looking into those deep emerald eyes that radiated compassion. All he had to do was tell Sonic he loved him as well.

But he couldn't. Not when he felt so conflicted. Better to mean it and not say it than say it and not mean it, he figured. He sat silently losing himself in those eyes, when Sonic moved towards him. At once their mouths were locked in a passionate embrace, their tongues playfully teasing each other as they revelled in the warmth passing between them.

He didn't know why he enjoyed kissing Sonic so much. Logically speaking the act was quite disgusting and unnecessary, but he found a new pleasure in the physical sensation. In the joining of two people in a shared purpose. He felt his doubt melting away into the moment, simply letting it happen and putting everything else to one side.

After many more moments of ecstasy, they finally separated, if only to catch their breath. Shadow wanted to continue, to lose himself in Sonic rather than his own self-loathing.

"Hmm," Sonic said, suddenly contemplative, "I've just remembered something. Something I was going to ask you about before I blacked out for like, the fifth time this week. What was it?"

Shadow's heart raced. He could barely reason with himself about his slip of the tongue, how would he explain it to Sonic?

"Oh well," Sonic said, shrugging, "can't have been that important." For once, Shadow was thankful for Sonic's laissez-faire attitude. He leaned in for another kiss.

"Oh!" said Sonic, stopping him in his tracks, "I remember!" Shadow felt panic overtaking him; give him killer robot duplicates over this feeling any day.

"You know how Eggman said those duplicates of you and me needed us alive to keep working?"

"Umm... yes?" Shadow said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Well, that means all those townspeople must be alive somewhere!" said Sonic, rising to his feet, "we need to rescue them!"

"Sonic..." Shadow started.

"No ifs or buts, Shadow!" Sonic said, grinning excitedly, "I'm going to find those people, no matter how long it takes."

"They could be anywhere, Sonic. We were hundreds of miles from Station Square when those doppelgangers of us were there. Where do we even begin to look?"

Sonic looked around plaintively, his excitement cut short by Shadow's statement. He wanted to tell Sonic that the townspeople were probably already dead, but found himself unable to quash his youthful optimism.

Sonic snapped his fingers.

"Let's start by going back that town."

~o~

* * *

The town of Pokryvoshka lay in complete solitude, save for the two hedgehogs wandering the streets. Amidst the gaunt quiet they looked through windows, shouted through letterboxes and banged on doors. Some houses had their doors left open, and searching these properties Sonic and Shadow found uneaten breakfasts, running taps, and lights left on. It was as if the residents had simply got up and left on masse, and the only tenant left to greet them was silence.

Sonic observed the tattered remains of the shop. Broken wood and glass, tin cans and newspapers lay across the street, the aftermath of his tornado of destruction. Sonic thought it a sorry sight, but it held significance for him; the place where he found himself again, where he learned not to be afraid of what he could do.

Shadow came up behind him, placing a slender black and red arm around his shoulder. Sonic instinctively leaned over to peck his cheek, even though he continued to stare into the middle distance.

"This place is a ghost town, Sonic," said Shadow, "we should probably move on."

Sonic shook his head in confusion; he couldn't put his finger on it, but he had a sense that something wanted him to be here, in this cold and desolate place.

"It's all been set up for me," he said to the open air, "the Chaos robots were lying in wait for me; in this town, in the woods. Waiting to taunt me, frighten me, break me. Someone's gone to great lengths to arrange this horror show just for me."

"Does everything always have to be about you?" said Shadow, "I've been part of this from the start."

"Well?" said Sonic, "do you feel like someone's toying with you? Trying to expose your weaknesses, your fears?" Shadow gave him a blank look.

"No," he said bluntly. Sonic caught sight of Shadow's obvious tell when he lied. Turning his back, avoiding eye contact, folding his arms. Shadow's wall of defensive aloofness could reappear quicker than Sonic could run. Glancing back to the shop, he remembered Shadow's panic when his Chaos powers failed.

_I know what you're afraid of,_ Sonic thought, smirking, _you're afraid of losing someone you love again._

Then there was that incident in the woods, after the Chaos blast, when Shadow called him… what was it? He had it again for a moment, but the fleeting thought vanished as soon as it arrived. His memory of that time lay in a veil of fog.

His recollection left him when loud metallic clanging reached his ears. Turning around, the two hedgehogs gazed towards the source of the noise. At the front of a small house, a metal cover like a cellar entrance slowly creaked open on its own. They waited a few moments, expecting something to emerge from the darkened aperture, but nothing appeared. To Sonic it seemed more like that doorway expected his arrival.

"Okay," said Sonic, his fur standing on end, "that's kinda creepy. Also I think they forgot the glowing neon sign that reads 'obvious trap.'"

"What should we do?" asked Shadow.

"We can't just leave," Sonic said, "not while the townspeople are still in danger. How are your Chaos powers?"

Shadow flicked open his fingers, and a surge of red lighting crackled across his hand.

"I'm fully recharged," he said.

"Good," said Sonic as he crept towards the opening, "be ready for anything."

"Wait, you're going in there?" Shadow said, his cool demeanour wavering slightly.

"What choice do I have?" Sonic said, a look of grim resignation on his face, "if I don't try to help these people, who will? Even if I put myself in danger, I have to do _something."_

"Fine," sniffed Shadow, "but you're not doing it alone. We go down there together or not at all."

Sonic gave Shadow his friendliest smile, a warm feeling rising within him. Whatever else was going on between them, he knew he could trust Shadow to be there when he needed him; they were truly friends now. As he placed a foot on the lip of the aperture, gazing into the stairs leading down into darkness, he stopped when a hand took a firm grip of his arm.

"Sonic, wait!" said Shadow, "before we go in there, there's something I need to say to you." He took hold of Sonic's hands, looking straight into his eyes with his crimson stare. His mouth opened several times as if to speak, but no sound came out. Through his gloves Sonic could actually feel Shadow trembling.

"I…" said Shadow. Sonic said nothing, although he longed to hear Shadow speak.

"I L…" he said again, before sighing dejectedly, "I lo…" His face turned to a frustrated scowl.

Sonic felt Shadow's lips suddenly upon his, and he closed his eyes, breathing deeply and returning the kiss with aplomb. His heart jumped for joy as the two hedgehogs pulled closer together, gently rubbing their hands along their partner's arms, tasting each other's mouths and immersing themselves in the overwhelming masculine scent.

When they pulled away, Sonic smiled, and Shadow matched him, both of their faces flush with crimson.

"It's alright, Shadow," said Sonic, "I know."

Hand in hand the two boys stepped across the threshold and began a slow descent into the darkness. After a few steps the cellar door slammed shut behind them with a resounding clang that rattled in Sonic's ears.

"There's a surprise," said Sonic, "hello and welcome to the Sinister Trap Experience…"

They marched down the steps in total blackness, Sonic keeping a firm grip on Shadow's hand, allowing the black hedgehog to guide him through the darkness. The steps continued further than he expected and then some. Down and down the stairs continued, with seemingly no end to them.

Sonic nearly tripped when the surface became level beneath his feet. Still enveloped by darkness, he nudged Shadow in the ribs.

"Where are we? Do you see anything?"

Before Shadow could answer a light slammed into life above him, dazzling Sonic with a sickly yellow glow. Another light slammed on further ahead, then another; a procession of lights revealed a long narrow corridor stretching ahead of him, a dusty brick corridor lined with snaking metal pipes. On either side thick metal blast doors stood to attention, a circular handle like a ship's wheel adorning each one. Sonic gripped Shadow's hand even tighter, the alien nature of the place getting to him. He remembered the darkened temple, and how tightly Tails had clung to him then. This place somehow felt colder and more inhospitable than the outside, and he shuffled near to Shadow, gently leaning against him for warmth and comfort.

"Shadow?" he whispered, "what is this place?"

"Hmm," said Shadow, glancing around seemingly unfazed, "probably an old Staviet war bunker. They liked to hide them in out of the way places like this."

"What do you think's behind all those doors?"

"Nothing much, I'd imagine. Old maps, computers, maybe some food stores. I'm not sure what-"

A clicking sound to their right got their attention. Another light flicked on, this time shining from an open doorway. Creeping slowly through the threshold, they found a large, low-ceilinged room dominated by a large bank of computers; the old boxy towers that stood taller than a Mobian, covered in blinking lights and spinning tape reels.

A screech rang out from the PA system, grinding against the hedgehog's ears and reverberating through the bunker. As the noise settled, a voice echoed from all around them. That voice, the one they had come to fear and despise.

"There once was a hedgehog called Sonic," it said, "who was a big-shot hero on Mobius. Everybody loved him and kissed his furry blue backside, even his rival Shadow fawned over him like a brain-dead simpleton."

Shadow seethed, and Sonic feared he would start attacking the building itself.

"But one day," the voice continued in its mocking fairy tale, "everybody started to hate him. He had a bad day, and decided to kill everyone around him. After all, he was the Hero of Mobius, he could do whatever he liked."

An array of screens flashed to life, displaying newspaper headlines, websites and TV broadcasts, all condemning him, questioning his sanity and calling for his blood. Sonic froze in horror; did this mean Tails had failed to prove his innocence? Worse, he thought, did this mean Tails was still in danger?

"But Sonic couldn't handle having so much blood on his hands, so he put a gun in his mouth, or tied a rope around his neck, or jumped into the sea with rocks in his shoes. Whatever happened, he died a horrible, lonely death, unable to deal with what happened in Cybernia."

Sonic let go of Shadow's hand, tensing his whole body up and raging at the walls themselves.

"Shut... UP!" he bellowed, his voice ricocheting off the walls in a chorus of hedgehogs, "I told you once already, I'm not playing your game anymore!"

The screens in front of him flashed again, changing into grainy camera footage. Sonic squinted to make them out, but he could see several people on each one, huddling together in a cramped space. Some of them paced in what little room they could find, while others sat against the walls, holding their knees and rocking back and forth.

"These are the people of Pokryvoshka," said the voice, "they are what lies behind all those doors. They're being kept alive, for now. But the game is far from over."

Sonic gestured to Shadow to head out into the corridor, meaning for him to bust open the cells, but the PA system sprang to life before he reached the door.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Shadow. This whole installation has a Chaos Inversion Field running through it. It is capable of delivering a fatal Chaos shock to each and every one of the prisoners. Any attempt to rescue them will trigger the field. Try to open the doors, they die. Shut off the power, they die. Blast through the wall, and you guessed it, they die. Trust me when I say their deaths will be extremely painful."

Sonic bit down on his lip, resisting the urge to scream. His whole body shook with rage.

"What do you want from us?" said Shadow, retaining his calm demeanour.

"I'm offering you a choice. On the console in front of you is a large red button. Push it, and the prisoners will be instantly killed."

Sonic nervously eyed the button, backing away to well out of arm's reach of it.

"Are you nuts?" he said, "I would never do that in a millions years! What on Mobius made you think I would?"

"Because if you don't press it Sonic, I'll use these wretches' lifeform data to rebuild my army of Chaos Robots. They'll go away from this place to kidnap more and more people and copy them, swelling their ranks until they become unstoppable." The voice became more excited as it spoke, losing its composure and brimming with ecstatic madness.

"They will infiltrate key administrations, they will replace doctors, judges, politicians, even the President of the Federation himself! Then with a wave of my hand, they'll bring the whole world crashing down around them. And the sweetest part of it all? It will be _your_ fault."

The two hedgehogs could only stand in stunned silence as the dark voice revelled in its monologue.

"There is only one way to stop them. To destroy the template that keeps them stable. All it takes it one little push of a button, and the world will be made safe."

"No!" shouted Sonic, "you can't make me do that! I won't kill hundreds of innocent people for your sick pleasure!"

"The alternative is to watch your beloved world die because you did nothing. What will it be Sonic? Are you a killer or a coward?"

Sonic stood dumbstruck, staring between the button and the images of the townspeople. As dark laughter echoed all around him through the loudspeaker, his heart pounded in his ears, and his throat became parched. He felt his muscles seizing up, and the ground beneath him threatened to swallow him whole.

"Time's running out, Sonic. Make your choice."

~o~


	19. XVIII – Embracing the Pain

**XVIII – Embracing the Pain**

Round. Red. Deadly.

Such a little thing, but with so much power. A plastic button set in a metal ring atop an old computer console. Bright red, a screaming warning to the danger the thing posed. The easiest thing in the world to use, the hardest thing to live with if he did.

Sonic closed his eyes, not wanting to look at the innocuous button that taunted him. But behind his eyelids he could see the choice in front of him. First, he saw room after room of innocent people screaming for their lives, clawing against the walls as an agonising death struck them down. Second, he saw the flames of Station Square spreading across the world, and cold black eyes with pinpricks of red light shining from within.

Both visions turned his stomach equally. Most people threatened him directly, or threatened his friends. Worry about them as he did, he could still trust them to stay strong.

This was not a choice he could make; ask him to sacrifice himself for the greater good and he would in a heartbeat. He would take any bullet for his friends, throw himself on any grenade, but this wasn't a sacrifice; some sick bastard was putting the gun in his hand and making him pull the trigger.

When he opened his eyes, he could no longer see the button. Something black with flashes of red stood in front of it.

"Shadow?" Sonic asked, terror festering in the pit of his stomach, "What are you doing?"

Shadow didn't look around. For a moment there was a crushing silence between the pair.

"It's a numbers game," Shadow said in a monotone voice drained of life, "Hundreds now or millions later. It's only logical."

"Shadow, no!" Sonic cried, dashing over to him. Shadow stood with his finger hovering just over the button, fixing it with an impassive expression.

"It's not a choice!" Sonic said, his voice cracking as he seized Shadow's wrist, "if you kill those people, he'll just find a new way to attack Mobius."

"Let go of me, Sonic," Shadow said darkly, glaring at Sonic through the corner of his eyes. Sonic tried to pull his wrist away, but Shadow held it in place with his great strength.

"I said... LET GO!" Shadow bellowed, bringing his hand up quickly, striking Sonic across the face and causing him to fall backwards. As Sonic tumbled onto the cold metal floor, he saw Shadow resume his earlier position, poised to press the button.

Sonic's heart burned with anger. Gazing upon the black hedgehog he felt an agonising blend of love and hate swirling through him.

"I can't believe I was stupid enough to think I ever loved you, Shadow," he spat with barely restrained venom, "You're a monster. You don't feel anything, even as you take another's life. I can't love someone like that, and if you press that button, I will _hate you_ for as long as I live!"

Shadow froze, and his expression changed from blank indifference to childlike sorrow. His hand, so close to the deadly switch, began to tremble. Pulling it away Shadow looked at his quivering hand, then to Sonic, his expression completely broken.

"I... I'm doing this for you, Sonic!" he said, his voice breaking and quavering in fright, "I'm sparing you the pain of having to make this choice. Just let me save you!"

With those words a name came rushing back to him. Maria. That's what Shadow had called him back in the woods. Gears whirred in Sonic's mind, delivering the fragments of information to him, playing back Shadow's voice in his ears.

_You'll never be alone again._

_I've failed._

_I can't save you._

It all seemed so clear now, and he felt even more of a fool for not seeing it earlier. The uncharacteristic tenderness, the longing stares, the outpourings of emotion. There was only _one_ person Shadow could ever feel that way for. The pain coalesced within him as he realised what he had to do.

"Saving me won't bring her back, Shadow! Accept it, Maria is dead!"

The words might well have been Sonic's hand slapping Shadow with all its strength; such was the look of shock on his face. The black hedgehog closed his eyes, his trembling subsiding until his body became completely still. When he opened his eyes again, his crimson stare glistened in the off-putting yellow light. Tears began to stream along his muzzle, and he stood staring into the distance, quietly sobbing.

The loudspeaker screeched to life again, shattering the silence of the room.

"Oh dear," it said in its twisted mockery, "has the mighty Shadow gone soft? Yet another life you've ruined, Sonic. You've turned the Ultimate Lifeform into the Ultimate Cry-baby. I hope you're satisfied."

Sonic leapt to his feet, pointing at the speaker with an accusing finger.

"Just who the fuck are you, buddy?" he snapped, "and why do you hate me so much?"

"I am the architect of your self-destruction, Sonic. I am the harbinger of inescapable fate. I am the Ultimate-"

A loud bang cut the voice off. A bolt of crimson lightning smashed into the speaker, ripping it from the wall in a screech of static.

" _Windbag_ ," said Shadow, wiping a tear away, "and you think that I'm arrogant?"

"Nice one, Shadow," said Sonic, lending him a half-smile which wasn't reciprocated.

"We seem to be at an impasse," said Shadow, his shoulders slumping, "it looks like neither of us can bring ourselves to press that button, but we can't just do nothing and let that robot army wreak havoc. So what do we do now?"

The gears of Sonic's mind whirred again; this time he saw the crimson bolt, and a vivid memory of the temple struck him, particularly the blue lightning of the cage that burned into his skin.

"I tell you what we won't do," said Sonic, eyes blazing with confidence, "we won't do what we're told. I choose door number three!" he paused for a moment, closing his eyes and feeling the air around him. He had sensed it when they had entered, only slightly. A low buzz that made his skin tingle.

"There's Chaos energy running through this whole place," he said, focusing on Shadow again, "I can feel it."

"Right..." said Shadow, obviously wary.

"Could someone with enough control over Chaos energy drain it completely, preventing it from hurting the people trapped inside?" Shadow looked at him like he'd suggested they chop their own heads off.

"The energy here is supercharged, Sonic," he said, "enough to kill hundreds in one stroke. Even if it could be absorbed, it would be too much for one person. They'd be vaporised by it."

"Okay, okay, I get that," said Sonic, placing a hand on Shadow's shoulder and looking him straight in the eyes, "but what about two people?"

Shadow hesitated, his mouth dropping open. Sonic could see the black hedgehog understood his intentions.

"You're insane, Faker," said Shadow.

"So tell me something I don't know," said Sonic, raising his eyebrows cheekily, "could it work though?" Shadow pondered for a moment, before gazing back towards him.

"It's incredibly risky, Sonic. We'll need to pass the energy in a continuous loop between us as it dissipates, to stop it reaching fatal levels. Once we start, we cannot stop or slow down until the inversion field is completely drained. If anything goes wrong, both of us will die, and the backlash could kill the prisoners anyway."

"We don't have much choice, Shadow. Besides, risky is my middle name."

"I find 'recklessly suicidal' to be a more appropriate appellation," said Shadow, half-smirking. Sonic mimicked 'appropriate appellation' in a mocking voice, before laughing. Shadow sniffed a little in amusement, and they rested their foreheads against each other.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Shadow, "I guarantee it will hurt, _a lot_."

"Ehh, what's a little pain between friends?"

"I'm serious, Sonic. You must be ready for this. Are you? "Sonic nodded.

"Hold out your hands," said Shadow. Sonic obliged, and Shadow gently took hold of his wrists, turning his hands over to face upwards. He placed his hands on top of Sonic's, and the blue hedgehog felt a slight tingle through his gloves.

"Shadow, before we start," Sonic said, avoiding Shadow's gaze, "I wanted to apologise for what I said. The thing is..."

"Not now, Sonic. If we get out of this alive, then we'll talk about it."

Sonic fell silent, accepting Shadow's say on the matter. Despite his earlier anger, he still felt a longing desire for the black hedgehog, and desperation to know how Shadow really felt clouded his judgement.

"Now," Shadow whispered, "I'm going to count in groups of four. On the odd numbers I'll pass energy to you, and on the evens you pass it back to me. Let's try it with our dormant Chaos energy. Ready? 1... 2... 3... 4... and..."

With each count Sonic felt the tingling rush of Chaos energy passing between them, looping along his right arm, across his chest and down his left arm, before passing into Shadow. Sparks of blue, red and purple flickered between them, and a muted crackling filled the air. Shadow ceased counting, and Sonic focused on the rhythm created by the flow of energy. As it died away, Shadow stared into his eyes.

"Get ready," he said, "this is the real thing this time. Remember, _do not stop_ until it's over, no matter what happens. And… 1... 2..." he mouthed the last two numbers silently, and Sonic matched the count, closing his eyes.

At once, an intense tingling entered into him, feeling like the worst pins and needles he had ever felt. It passed into Shadow on the next count, before returning to him with greater intensity. Each time it left he breathed a sigh of relief, and each time it returned he winced in agony. The pain became stabbing, tearing through his muscles with a burning heat. He gripped Shadow's hands tightly, and Shadow gripped his with a force that threatened to break his fingers. Tears forced their way through his tightly closed eyelids, and he could no longer hold back his anguished cries of agony.

"Shadow!" he cried, "I… can't…" He squinted through the tears to see crimson and cobalt lightning swirling around them, arcing across their skin and filling his nostrils with a rancid smell of burning flesh. The yellow light flickered frantically, and sparks shot out from the computer terminals as a deafening buzzing filled the air.

"Keep it together, Sonic!" yelled Shadow, "don't let go, don't give up!"

Sonic tried to breathe deeply, but the air felt dry and burned his throat. The pain kept rising, and Sonic felt like his muscles were being stripped from his bones. He tried to focus on the pattern, on the steady count. But the pattern had become jumbled and out of sync, the pain no longer left him, instead surging through his body like fire. He screamed in agony, his knees buckling underneath him, his hands still gripping to Shadow's own in a vice of desperation.

"Make it stop!" he screamed, his voice consumed by terror, " _please_ make it stop!"

The agony began to creep into his mind, and bright colours flashed behind his eyelids, the sound of distant screams echoing in his ears. He began to descend into darkness, when a soothing sensation flowed over him. The agonising terror retreated from him, and his mind settled into a hazy meditation. The pain flowed out of him, but where was it going?

He opened his eyes to see Shadow in the grip of crimson lightning, his face locked into a rictus of torment. Guttural wails escaped his throat, and scarlet liquid trickled from his nose, staining his muzzle. His whole body shook, and his knees trembled under his weight.

"Shadow, no!" cried Sonic, fear rushing along his spine, "Don't do this! DON'T!"

Shadow gave no reply, but continued to moan as scarlet lightning surged along his skin. Sonic could feel Shadow's crushing grip relinquishing, and his fingers began to loosen and slip away.

"No!" Sonic yelled, sliding his hands along Shadow's arms without breaking contact and pulling him into a tight embrace, "Don't you dare! I will not let you sacrifice yourself for me! Not again!"

As he gripped Shadow's shoulders, forcing his head alongside his counterpart's, the pain returned anew, constricting his body in torturous spasms. He began to scream again; the energy flowing through him surged faster and faster, tearing, ripping, burning, killing every part of him. With his eyes open he shrieked his dying breath, and Shadow alongside him met him with an intense wail of his own. He could no longer tell where he was, or who he was. He was nothing but a creature of pain, longing for death to claim him and end his suffering.

Suddenly, everything stopped. The pain shot out of him, and a rush of normalcy washed over him so fast it nearly killed him on the spot. He stood holding Shadow, not having moved from his terrified embrace, and the two hedgehogs bodies quivered against each other. He couldn't blink, he dared not in case this moment leave him. As his breath returned to him, he gripped Shadow even tighter, too afraid to let go.

His muscles soothed, the feeling returning to him as if he were lowering himself into a warm bath. He managed to close his eyes, restoring moisture to the dried-out orbs. Still clinging against Shadow he whispered in his ear.

"Are we… are we dead?"

"I… don't know."

They both began to laugh; slowly at first with hesitant breaths, before bursting into ecstatic belly laughing. They span around in circles in each other's arms, looking into each other's eyes with huge grins plastered across their muzzles.

"We did it!" cried Sonic, "We actually did it!"

"Yes!" Shadow said, delirious with happiness, "We are the Ultimate Hedgehogs!"

They couldn't contain themselves any further. They thrust their lips together, losing themselves in a passion brought on by the joy of living. When they pulled apart, Sonic smiled warmly, staring deep into Shadow's crimson eyes.

"I love you, Shadow," he said, meaning it sincerely. Shadow's elation slipped away, and his face became melancholy.

"I'd like to say I love you too, Sonic," he said, avoiding Sonic's gaze, "I feel like I do, but I'm also feeling conflicted. I'm not sure what I really want."

Sonic remembered his earlier outburst, and his emotions fell. His doubts about Shadow's intentions crept back into him.

"Let's not worry about that now," he said, knowing he was simply delaying hearing a hard truth he feared, "we've saved the day, like total badasses of course. Let's bust those innocents out of here."

"Agreed," said Shadow. He tried to move away from Sonic, but he didn't budge. Sonic tried to break contact with him, but Shadow moved along with him.

"Um… we appear to be stuck together," said Sonic, trying not to laugh.

"Alright," said Shadow, clearly less amused, "stand still and let me just-"

He pushed against Sonic's shoulders, and the blue hedgehog winced as Shadow teared away from him, ripping chunks of fur out his chest. Great tufts of white and black fur stuck to him, and Sonic saw Shadow standing in front of him covered in bald patches and clumps of blue and peach fur.

"That's a great look, Shads!" he said, covering his mouth to stifle his laughter. Shadow scowled.

"Same to you, Faker," he said with a wry-smile. Sonic looked down to see similar patches of pink skin visible across his chest. He sighed, but resumed laughing to himself soon after.

"By the way, 'We are the Ultimate Hedgehogs?'" said Sonic, "where did you get such a corny line?"

Shadow sniffed with his usual air of haughty indifference. After a moment of trying to seem aloof, he couldn't help but break into a smile under Sonic's gaze.

"Yeah, that wasn't quite my best, was it?"

"Whatever, dude," Sonic said through a cheeky grin, "we've got rescuing to do."

They marched into the corridor, still buzzing from their near-death experience. Sonic approached the first imposing metal door with trepidation; he still couldn't be sure they hadn't tripped the fatal shock. With his heart pounding he seized the wheel-shaped handle and forced it with all his might. With a clang the lock shifted, and he pulled the heavy door open with a rusty grinding sound.

Peering into the darkened room, Sonic breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Mobian shapes shifting through the dim, the yellow light of the corridor reflecting from their eyes. They had done it; they had saved them. That alone was worth the terrible pain they endured.

"It's alright, Shadow," he called into the corridor, "they're safe. Everyone's safe." He stepped over the thick threshold into the tiny darkened room. About ten Mobians were crammed into the room, young and old, male and female together, huddling together in the corner of the cramped space. They shifted uneasily away from him, staring at him with nervous eyes.

"Don't be afraid. I'm Sonic the Hedgehog, and I'm here to rescue you."

That's when they started screaming.

~o~


	20. XIX – To Home, To Heart

**XIX – To Home, To Heart**

"Vyyti! Ostav'te moyu sem'yu v pokoye, vy zver'!"

Sonic slowly backed away from the angry Cybernian grizzly bear advancing on him, raising his own hands up in surrender. In the cold, dark storage room serving as a makeshift cell, small children wept into their mother's fur, and men stared daggers into him, clenching their fists and snorting.

Sonic desperately tried to calm them down, making odd gestures with his hands and speaking to them as if they had brain-damage.

"No! Me... save... you!" he babbled, pointing from himself to the bear in front of him. He flinched as the bear drew back his fist, narrowly ducking under the powerful blow.

"Ty smeyesh', chtoby pokazat' vam stalkivat'sya zdes'! Ya ub'yu tebya!"

"What's the matter with you?" said Sonic, completely baffled, "I... Sonic! Big hero, yes?"

A dull thud impacted his head, followed by a clang of metal. Nursing his skull, Sonic saw a tin can rolling along the floor, and the child that threw it scowling at him. As more tins flew through the air, Sonic beat a hasty retreat into the corridor.

From the cell opposite, a similar clamour suggested Shadow was having just as much success. The black hedgehog appeared in the corridor, his face heavy with concern.

"What's going on?" said Sonic, "I thought they'd be happy to be rescued!" Shadow closed his eyes, sighing in frustration.

"Isn't it obvious?" said Shadow, "How do you think these people were kidnapped in the first place? Those robots copies you met in the woods must have taken them. No wonder they're so hostile."

"So what do we do? We can't just leave them down here." Shadow scratched his chin contemplatively.

"We'll open all the doors," he said, "and then leave them to make their way out on their own."

Sonic nodded, and the two boys tore along the corridor at blinding speed, throwing open the locks of each door in quick succession, a heavy clang reverberating along the narrow passageway with every handle turned. When they reached the final set of doors, they turned and sprinted back to the entrance, high-tailing it up the stairs before anyone caught sight of them.

With a solid thud Shadow punched the cellar doors clean off their hinges, scattering them across the deserted streets outside. A rush of cool, fresh air washed over them, and the daylight seemed blinding in comparison to the dank enclosed cellar.

Stepping out into the snow, Sonic and Shadow dusted themselves off, glad to be in the open air once more. Shadow took hold of Sonic's hand, throwing him a coy smile. Sonic blushed slightly and turned to face him, leaning in for another kiss.

Before their lips could touch, a voice pierced the stillness of the air.

"How sweet," it said, "two little hedgie-pigs in love. Makes me glad I can't actually vomit."

Sonic turned to face the voice. Ahead of him yet another doppelganger stood watching them, wearing that same grin that made Sonic's blood boil.

"You again!" snapped Sonic, his hackles rising, "give up already! We got you beat!"

"Have you now?" said the fake sonic, smirking, "Your tenacity impresses even me, Sonic. It's no use to keep fighting though, GUN are on their way, and they won't like what they find here."

"Ha!" Sonic laughed, "that's where you're wrong, buddy! We've got a town full of rescued innocents to show them." The other Sonic shook his head, his smile never faltering.

"What you've got is a town full of scared, angry people who will swear blind to GUN that the person who kidnapped them... was you." The obvious truth hit Sonic like a boxing glove on a spring.

"Aw crap," he said, "you don't give up do you?"

"I will never give up," said fake Sonic, his voice becoming low and threatening, "not while there's still a part of you I can hurt, Sonic. I will hound you until your dying day, I will twist your mind into madness, and your spirit into torment. You will break for me, Sonic, and I will savour every moment of your despair."

"Don't you ever stop talking?" yelled Shadow, putting himself between Sonic and his copy, "you pompous asshole. If you spent less time taunting us and actually following through on your threats, you might actually have achieved something. Grow a backbone and face us!"

The doppelganger hesitated, seemingly stunned by Shadow's outburst. But his unnerving smile returned moments later.

"Less talk, more action, eh Shadow?" he said, "I'll have to take you up on that. I'd love to hang around, but it looks like the cavalry's arrived." He gestured down the road to the left, where a gray military truck sped towards them from a great distance.

"I'll be seeing you real soon," he said, before racing into the distance in a blue blur, the only evidence of his presence the distantly fading sonic boom vibrating softly through the air.

Sonic stomped his foot into the snow, flattening it with an angry crunch.

"Chaos, I hate that creep," he said, "who does he think he is?"

"You shouldn't hate him, Sonic," said Shadow, "you shouldn't even pity him. Strong emotions cloud your judgement, make you irrational. Look at him simply as a threat that needs to be removed."

"You mean be more like you?" Sonic said, turning around to glare angrily at him, "bottle everything up, and become a complete basket case? I'm still mad at you for even _thinking_ about pressing that button back there."

Shadow said nothing, staring blankly at the ground. After a while he looked up at Sonic with hollow, distant eyes.

"I had two choices back there, Sonic," he said softly, "press that button and be hated by you forever, or let you do it and watch you hate yourself. I thought it was simple; I'm used to being spurned by everyone around me, being an outcast, but you... it would destroy you, just like our enemy wants."

Sonic slowly crept over to Shadow, feeling his anger soothing as the black hedgehog sombrely spoke.

"I couldn't do it," Shadow continued, "I couldn't bear to have you hating me. I wish I understood why I need you to love me, all I know is I need it, I crave it. It makes me feel... something I haven't felt in a long time."

_A long time._

There it was again, the parallels to Maria. The creeping feeling that he was living a lie, letting Shadow cope with his grief through misplaced affection for him. He knew he should push the issue, get it all out in the open before he fell so in love with Shadow that he couldn't escape from heartbreak.

It was too late, he had fallen past the event horizon of desire. There was no going back now. He would see this out to the bitter end.

He tried to speak, but the words he longed to say caught in his throat. Shadow took hold of his hands, softly caressing them and staring into his eyes.

"Sonic... Do you forgive me?"

"What?"

"I'm... sorry," he said, "for what I put you through down there. Do you forgive me?"

Stunned by Shadow's apology, Sonic forgot his troubles, losing himself in Shadow's soft expression.

"I..." he said, "of course, Shadow. I forgive you."

They embraced, nuzzling each other's fur and sharing the warmth between them. A low rumble roused them, and they turned to see the truck they had spotted earlier pulling alongside them.

The military truck skidded to a halt, grinding its massive tires along the icy road, black smoke billowing from its exhausts. From within the grey canvas of the rear section a clamour of movement could be heard, and the hedgehogs stood watching in anticipation.

From the back of the truck, soldiers began to leap out one after the other. Clad in black combat fatigues and wearing dark visored helmets, they circled around Sonic & Shadow, brandishing assault rifles and flattening the snow with their heavy boots.

"On the ground!" they shouted, "get on your knees and put hands behind your head!"

Sonic obliged, burying his knees in the cold snow and raising his hands. Alongside him he saw Shadow do the same, wearing a face like thunder.

Looking back towards the soldiers, Sonic's eyes lit up when he saw one without a helmet. A red echidna.

"Knuckles!" he cried, "what are you doing here?"

"Do not speak!" one of the soldiers snapped at him. He felt his blood rising at being ordered about, ready to snap at the jackbooted thug, but catching Knuckles' eye he saw him shake his head, raising a finger to his mouth. Sonic got the message, and remained silent.

Another helmetless soldier approached. A grey wolf with a scar across his eye, Sonic's fur rose; he got the feeling he wouldn't like this one very much.

"Excellent work, men," he said, in a younger-sounding voice than Sonic expected to hear, "we finally managed to catch these bastards."

Sonic could practically feel the steam billowing out of his ears. The way this guy smirked at him made him want to leap to his feet and smack the wolf across the mouth. He'd had his share of insufferably smug people around him lately, even if one of those was Shadow.

Before he could speak, he heard people shouting behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw from the corner of his eye the townspeople emerging from the dark cellar at last. Weary & weeping, young men helping old ladies across the threshold, and all of them glaring at him.

"Anyone know Cybernian?" asked the wolf. One of the soldiers raised his hand, and the wolf gestured for him to speak to the townspeople.

"Listen, we can explain," said Sonic. The back of the wolf's hand struck him across the cheek, surprising him, but hardly making him flinch.

"You were told not to speak, asshole!"

Sonic could see Shadow quivering with rage, desperate to stop himself blasting the wolf into atoms. As amusing as the concept seemed right now, Sonic realised that things would go badly for them if he did.

Unintelligible speech rang out behind them, and Sonic caught the sight of people angrily gesturing and pointing. After a few minutes of this, the soldier came back over.

"They say these hedgehogs kidnapped them from their homes, Sir," he said to the wolf, "and kept them in some kind of dungeon under this house."

"Oh, really?" the wolf said, glaring curiously at Sonic with a self-satisfied smile, "well that makes things a lot easier. Thank you, private."

"Shall we take them into custody, Sir?"

"No," said the wolf, cocking a pistol, "I have a better idea."

Sonic froze as the wolf pressed the cold metal barrel to his forehead. Unable to look away, he stared along the barrel into the dispassionate, freezing hazel eyes of the wolf standing over him.

"Baxter!" cried Knuckles, rushing alongside him, "what are you doing? This is supposed to be a rescue mission!"

"We don't rescue dangerous fugitives, echidna," said Baxter, not taking his eyes off Sonic.

"Dangerous fugitives?" said Knuckles, his anger clearly rising, "you've seen the evidence that proves them innocent."

"Have I?" said Baxter, "all I've seen is a robot that can barely hold itself together. My grandmother does a better shapeshifting act when she takes out her dentures! What I do have is this; multiple witnesses and recorded footage of these two committing acts of murder and destruction, plus an entire town of Cybernians who'll testify to being kidnapped, imprisoned and probably tortured by these psychopaths. I've got them bang to rights." He smiled again, smugly satisfied at his own so-called achievements.

"Don't be an idiot, Baxter!" said Knuckles.

"Au contraire, this is the smartest thing I've ever done," said Baxter, gripping the gun tightly, "your fox friend was a fool to threaten me. When I present the butchers of Station Square to the world, slain by my hand, then we'll see who the real Hero of Mobius is!"

Sonic's heart seized up as Baxter's finger hovered over the trigger. He closed his eyes, thinking about those he loved; Tails, Amy, Knuckles and of course, Shadow. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as he awaited the end.

"Permission to speak, Sir!" he heard a voice say. Opening his eyes, he saw a stocky male bat, covered in thick body armour and a full-face visor standing alongside Baxter on the other side to Knuckles.

"What is it?" Baxter growled in frustration, "can't you see I'm about to make history here?"

"Commander Richard Baxter," said the bat, in a strange voice that sounded lower than it ought to be, "I'm relieving you of command in accordance with Section C, Article 7, Paragraph 3 of the GUN hierarchy doctrine."

"What?!" bellowed the wolf, "on what grounds?"

"Compromising mission parameters for pursuit of personal gain. Basically, Sir..."

With a blindingly fast movement the bat struck him across the face with the butt of his rifle. Sonic lifted the wolf's arm up away from his head and out of harm's way. Spinning round Baxter staggered towards Knuckles, who drove his fist up into the wolf's chin. With a spurt of blood streaming from his nose Baxter flew backwards through the air, landing in a heap on the soft snow, out completely cold.

The bat pulled of his helmet, revealing a decidedly feminine face.

"Consider yourself suspended!" said Rouge.

"Rouge!" Sonic & Knuckles said simultaneously. The other soldiers brandished their guns towards her, but Rouge fixed them with a fierce glare.

"Are any of you really going to shoot a lady?" she barked, brandishing her own gun in their direction, "if anyone else wants so threaten my friends, you'll end up in a far worse state than Baxter here. Put down your weapons. Put them down, NOW!"

To Sonic's surprise, the soldiers balked, lowering their guns and placing them on the floor. To be fair, he felt intimidated by Rouge right now, but these were hardened soldiers, weren't they?

"Rouge, am I glad to see you," said Sonic, leaping to his feet, "oh, and you too, Knuckles." Knuckles rolled his eyes at him.

"I don't understand," said Shadow, also on his feet, "why did they surrender? They had you outgunned." Rouge gave Shadow a peck on the cheek, before winking.

"You don't think I've been sitting around doing my nails all this time, do ya, sugar?" she said, "I've been monitoring GUN activities for days, waiting for a sniff of my two favourite hedgehogs. When I found out Baxter was putting together a team to come after you, I knew he wasn't after your autograph. So I may have hacked into the main system and switched the roster at the last moment."

"You switched the soldiers?" said Shadow, "with whom?"

"Recruits who failed their psych test for high-pressure scenarios, and had to be moved to desk jobs. People less likely to shoot me for pulling a ballsy move like that."

"They're office workers?" said Sonic. Looking at the soldiers behind Rouge, Sonic could see it now; they fidgeted awkwardly with their gear and paced nervously. None of them made eye contact with him. He sighed a little to himself; he actually felt sorry for them, with the exception of the wolf passed out at his feet.

"Rouge..." he said with hesitation, "wasn't that a bit harsh? These guys could have been traumatised, or had a relapse or whatever. You put them at serious risk bringing them here."

"Needs must, Blue," said Rouge, "it was either that or let you be killed. You can't make an omelette without cracking a few eggs."

"I agree with Sonic," said Shadow, "it was wrong of you to put these men in danger like that."

Everyone turned to look at Shadow, Sonic included, with their mouths hanging open.

"Okay," said Rouge, shaking her head in disbelief, "I don't know what's been going on here, but something's seriously wrong with Shadow."

"There's nothing wrong with me, Rouge," he said. He began to rub his hand through Sonic's quills, gently parting the blue strands and gazing at him longingly. "I've just found a new... perspective on life."

"So I see," said Rouge, raising her eyebrows curiously, "I can't wait to hear all about it. Don't spare any of the more… _intimate_ details"

"Don't even go there, Rouge," said Sonic, "this week has been a nightmare." He turned to Knuckles. "Is Tails okay?"

"He's fine, Sonic," said Knuckles, smiling, "this whole thing wouldn't have been possible without him. He practically stormed GUN HQ all by himself."

Sonic's heart swelled with joy. His brother was safe, and doing just fine without him. Even so he couldn't wait until the moment he threw his arms around the little fox cub again. Just to hold him in his arms and tell him he loves him. He would tell him this time; he had learned not to shy away from expressing himself that way, and his near-death experiences reminded him of how important it was to say these things before the chance is lost forever.

"You think that's impressive," said Rouge, pointing at her chest, covered by layers of body armour and camouflage-patterned fatigues, "do you realise how hard it was to get my boobs into this outfit?"

~o~

* * *

The transport plane parted the stillness of the cold Cybernian air, its roaring engines shattering the desolate quiet that haunted the snow-covered woodlands and mountains below. The black jet was an ink stain on an otherwise pristine blue clear sky, and in the hold, a hedgehog almost as black himself sat in quiet contemplation.

The darkened hold, warm by comparison to the frozen wilderness from where he had come, still held an air of coolness that satisfied him. They had waited in that town for assistance to arrive; Sonic had insisted Rouge call the local GUN outpost and get them to secure the town, in case the Chaos Robots came back. Thanks in no small part to his fluent Cybernian and intimidating voice, Shadow managed to convince the hapless agent on the end of the line that he was an important GUN leader. They parked up in the truck on the outskirts of town, speeding out of there when the GUN trucks rolled in, before they were discovered as imposters, and before anyone saw Baxter gagged and bound in the back.

The low rumble of the plane soothed his mind and relaxed him; the past few days had been mayhem for him, physically and emotionally. He wondered what he would do once all the insanity and fear was over, could he ever have a normal life after this? He pondered what 'normal life' even meant to someone as messed-up as him.

His thoughts broke when someone nudged him in the ribs. Turning in his seat, he saw Rouge smiling at him.

"So, Shadow," she said, "why don't you tell me all about your little holiday?" She was always so nosy, probing into his private affairs and interrogating him about his feelings. He supposed it was only natural; she _was_ a spy, after all. That wouldn't stop Shadow putting up his wall of indifference.

"I'd hardly call it a holiday," he said, not even turning his head to glare at her, "not only did I have to fight off an army of Chaos-powered robots driven by some egotistical maniac lurking in the shadows, but I had to put up with Faker's asinine antics the whole time."

"Huh?" said Rouge, "I thought you and Sonic had something going on." _Going on_ , what was she implying? When he was alone with Sonic he didn't mind opening up, now eyes were scrutinising him, questioning his actions and making him feel… ashamed, was that it? Uncomfortable at least about how he had acted before.

"Where did you get such a ridiculous notion?"

"Well Hon, I know it can be difficult to detect these things without super-secret spy training," said Rouge, "but you haven't taken your eyes off of him this entire flight."

Shadow snapped out of a stupor that had been holding onto him. He realised the image in front of him hadn't changed all throughout his introspection. He really had been staring at Sonic.

Sonic didn't seem to have noticed; he was too busy chatting with the soldiers, regaling them with tales of their adventures in Cybernia, making exaggerated sound effects and gestures while they sat transfixed by him like small children at story time. The 'soldiers,' so timid and easily cowed before, now seemed at ease and confident, laughing and smiling, inspired by Sonic's gregarious nature. That same nature that burrowed into Shadow's psyche and would not let him go, the one that irritated him like nothing else, but kept him coming back for more. Sonic lifted the spirits of everyone around him, even Shadow's own darkened soul, without even trying; it was like he had a pathological need to make everyone happy.

"Excuse me," said Shadow, rising to his feet and walking away from Rouge, much to her confusion. He approached the group of men, catching Sonic's voice over the din of the plane.

"…friggin' pensioner running about four hundred miles an hour. I couldn't believe my eyes!"

Sonic looked up as Shadow approached, smiling warmly at him.

"Guys, this is Shadow," he said, "my… _companion_ throughout all this." The soldiers turned to face him, their eyes exuding respect and wonder.

"Wow," said a young racoon, "you're the legendary Shadow? It's an honour to meet you." The recruit held out his hand for Shadow to shake it, but Shadow merely glanced at it nonchalantly.

"Legendary?" asked Shadow, eyeing Sonic suspiciously. The racoon retracted his hand sheepishly, but kept quiet.

"Yeah," said another soldier, a golden retriever with a toothy smile, "we heard how nearly died sucking all that Chaos energy out of the bunker to save all those people. That takes serious cojones, my man."

"And how you totalled those zombie-bots with an epic Chaos Blast," said the racoon, "I heard they could see it from space!"

"Shadow's the real hero, guys," said Sonic, clasping Shadow's hand in both of his, "I couldn't have done any of this without him."

Shadow hesitantly surveyed the group of men in front of him. The way they looked at him filled him with a creeping sense of bemusement. Every one of their faces glowed with pride and admiration, a far cry from the looks of suspicion and disgust the general public usually gave him.

_Freak. Monster. Abomination._ That's what they usually called him. Not to his face of course, they were all too afraid of him, but they said it with their eyes, with the way they hurried past him and clutched their children close to them. He's different, he's not one of us, obviously he chose to be born like that.

And people wonder why he kept to himself.

"Sonic," he said, "can I talk to you for a moment? In private." Sonic looked up smiling, but his face fell slightly when he met Shadow's stern look. The two hedgehogs marched back to Shadow's seat. Opposite them Rouge had gone back to flirting with Knuckles, who sat statue-like in an attempt to resist her charms, the heat from his face practically melting the plane from the inside. Taking their seats, Shadow leant over to whisper in Sonic's ear.

"Why are you lying to them?" he asked, "I never did any of those things. It was all you." Sonic scratched the back of his head, blushing slightly.

"I'm not _technically_ lying," he said, grinning, "sure I may have done those things, but I meant what I said. I really couldn't have done any of it without you. I felt you deserved some of the credit, even if I stretched the truth a bit." His teeth glinted white in the dim light of the hold, and Shadow turned away, holding his arms tightly crossed.

"Hmph!" he sniffed, "you needn't have done that for my sake. Only _you_ could have been crazy enough to think up that plan in the bunker, or to attempt a Chaos Blast without training." Sonic stared at him, clearly unsure if he was being insulted or not. Shadow could actually hear the cogs turning in the blue hedgehog's mind, and smiled to himself at Sonic's naivety.

"That was a compliment, Faker…" Shadow drawled. Sonic laughed a little, but still stared through Shadow, clearly troubled by something. Sighing to himself, Shadow turned to meet his distant emerald eyes.

"You have doubts, don't you, Sonic? I've seen it in your eyes," said Shadow. Sonic blinked a few times in surprise, before letting his shoulders slump.

"I… I don't know, Shadow," he said, "I mean, it's been great spending all this time with you, but some of the things you've said, the way you've been all protective and worrying over me, just makes me feel…"

"You think I see you as a substitute for Maria?" Sonic's mouth dropped open.

"Well… kinda," he said, "you've got to admit, the way you've been acting is really weird. Sometimes you look at me like I'm not there, like you're thinking about someone else. And don't forget, we only really started to bond because of the similarity between my feelings for Tails and yours for Maria. That's got to have had an effect on you."

Shadow continued to keep his arms folded tight, biting down on his lip in frustration. He didn't like people telling him how he felt, or how he should be feeling. No-one knew who he was on the inside, no-one had a right to know. He was his own hedgehog, and no amount of scrutiny would reveal his heart.

Except he had revealed it to Sonic, without any prompting from the other. For some reason those verdant eyes brought his inner self spilling out without fear or shame, and in those moments, he felt a deep sense of trust towards Sonic. No-one had a right to know the real him; Sonic had no right _not_ to know.

Turning around in his seat and letting his arms relax, he held out his hand face up, motioning towards it with his eyes so Sonic could see. Sonic took hold with his own hand, and around their clasped gloves a faint purple light radiated. From the corner of his eye Shadow could see Rouge looking over suspiciously.

"Heh, I got a tickle," said Sonic, smiling lovingly at Shadow.

"You're right, Sonic," said Shadow, "When I look at you, in my mind I see her, feel the need to nurture and protect someone close to me, but… I see someone else as well."

"Who?" said Sonic. Shadow rolled his eyes so hard they nearly span out of his head.

"I think I'm nearly ready to lo… to give you what you deserve Sonic," he said, his voice dropping to a low whisper "but I need some time to myself, to think. I know what I need to do to get my head together, but I need to be apart from you for a while, so I can see clearly and objectively."

Sonic's face fell, and his eyes became weary with sorrow, but Shadow held his free hand up to his cheek to gently stroke it. Rouge's eyes were practically exploding with curiosity by this point.

"No tears, Sonic," said Shadow, lifting Sonic's head up to face him, "it'll do you some good to have some time away from me. You can decide what you really want."

"I want _you_ ," said Sonic, almost inaudibly.

"Not as I am now," said Shadow, "not when I'm so conflicted. When I return, I'll know who I am, and everything will make sense."

"Where will you go? And when?"

"I can't tell you where I'm going, but I leave as soon as we land,"

"What?!" Sonic yelled, taking his hand away from Shadow and turning everyone's heads towards them "you can't do that! We've still got this villain to deal with."

"You don't need me for that, Sonic," said Shadow, holding the blue hedgehog softly behind his head, "you're the Hero of Mobius. I know you have the strength to beat him. I have complete faith in you."

"I ought to record everything you say," said Sonic, laughing, "no-one's gonna believe me when I tell them."

"Don't tell them," whispered Shadow, "please. What I've shared with you is for you and I alone. Nobody else deserves to know."

"What will I say when you just up and vanish?" asked Sonic in a hushed tone.

"Tell them I'm a jerk who can't stand to be around cretins like you and you're friends. It's not that far from the truth."

"You are a jerk!" Sonic said playfully, giving Shadow a light tap round the head, "I'm going to tell Tails, though. If he asks me straight up, I can't lie to him."

"Fair enough," said Shadow after a moment's consideration, "I know he means everything to you."

"He does," said Sonic, smiling wistfully and rising to his feet, "but so do you. Good luck, Shads." As he walked away, Shadow stared at his slender blue form, trying to ignore Rouge desperately trying to get his attention.

"Sonic?" called Shadow, gesturing for him to come back. As he approached, Shadow rose to his feet, throwing his arms around him strong enough to lift Sonic off of his feet, earning them a gasp from Rouge.

"I _will_ come back," he whispered in Sonic's ear, "you have my word. Whatever else happens, Sonic… you have my friendship, and my trust. That's not something that's easily earned." They parted again, and Shadow slumped to his seat, gazing over at Sonic as he had done before.

_I know I love you, Sonic,_ he thought, _somewhere deep inside, I know it. I just need to prove it to myself._

_~o~_


	21. XX – Leave of Absence

** XX – Leave of Absence **

The bright sunlight that met his eyes as he stepped off the plane went hand in hand with warmth for the first time since Cybernia. Stepping out onto the landing pad, Sonic saw a grey concrete building towering over him, its tinted glass windows shining in the sun. He heard a commotion behind him, and turned to see Knuckles struggling with a body slung over his shoulder. Baxter had woken up, and was thrashing against Knuckles' strong grip.

"Put me down, you fossil!" screamed Baxter, "I'll have you stuffed and sent to the Natural History Museum!"

"Easy, tiger," said Rouge, walking alongside them, "Knuckles isn't known for being a gentle playmate. It would be a shame if he broke you."

"You bitch," snarled Baxter, "I'll have your head for this."

"What's going on here?" a voice came from behind Sonic. Turning around he saw a golden-eagle Mobian standing proudly on the steps leading into the building, arms crossed behind his back and an austere scowl on his face. Knuckles let Baxter down to the ground; he tried to move, but his arms and legs were still tied, so he began hopping towards the steps, much to Sonic's amusement.

"T-tarquin!" babbled Baxter, "arrest these people at once!" The eagle's eyes burned through him, making him shrink before them.

"That's General Tarquin, _Sir_ to you, Baxter," the eagle snarled, "and why should I do that?"

"G-general Tarquin, Sir! This bat broke the rules of her suspension, smuggled her way onto my operation, assaulted me and aided fugitives! These people need detaining immediately."

The eagle continued to scowl, unmoved by Baxter's plea.

"There's no record of Agent Rouge receiving a suspension," he said, "nor is Sonic the Hedgehog listed as a wanted person."

"What?" cried Baxter, "there was kill order issued against him and Shadow. It came from the Supreme Commander himself."

"I'm aware of that, Baxter. However, the order was rescinded by the Supreme Commander six hours before you set off on your operation. Apparently new evidence has come to light absolving them of culpability for the Plaza attack. You can't expect me to believe you didn't get the message."

Baxter began to shrink further, looking like a small frightened child before the imposing eagle.

"There must be some mistake," he pleaded, "I received explicit instructions to take those hedgehogs out. I never received a retraction, I was just doing my job, damn it!"

"Watch your tongue," said Tarquin, "If you really didn't know, why did you log your mission out as 'Asset Recovery?' Assets generally aren't any use if they're dead." Baxter froze, and Sonic realised the weight of the wolf's error. Clearly he had tried to disguise the nature of the mission from Tails and Knuckles, and now it was biting him in the butt.

"Commander Richard Baxter," Tarquin continued, "I hereby relieve you of duty in accordance with Section C, Article 7, Paragraph 3 of the GUN hierarchy doctrine for compromising mission parameters in pursuit of personal gain. You will be confined to the holding cells under armed guard to await court martial. That is all I will say on the matter." He nodded to two security guards, a large panther and a tiger.

"Take him away."

"No!" cried Baxter as the feline guards dragged him up the steps, "You can't do this to me! I'm the Commander of this whole facility!" Sonic watched him be manhandled to the glass doors, and saw him look over his shoulder to stare daggers at Rouge and her companions.

"You're going to pay for this!" he shouted, before he was dragged inside.

"You're dismissed for now, Agent Rouge," said Tarquin, his formal demeanour not breaking, "you and your unit should take some leave, although..." He fixed his piercing eyes on Sonic. "I would like the 'assets' to remain on site for now, just for some informal questioning at a later time."

If he didn't know Tails was inside the building, Sonic probably would have turned and ran a mile away in a second. Yet another place where he would have to sit around being bored. But he relented, nodding stiffly to Rouge.

"I detect your hand in all of this, Rouge," said Sonic, after Tarquin had gone back inside.

"Oh, Blue," she said, feigning air-headedness, "what do you think little old me could have done? Hacked into GUN's system to undo my own suspension and revoke the hit on you? How un-ladylike!"

"I'd normally disapprove of setting someone up like that, but that dick held a gun to my head. He deserves everything he gets." Sonic laughed, before glancing over to the plane.

"Where's Shadow?" he said. The black hedgehog had not followed them out the plane.

"I'll fetch him, Blue," said Rouge, rolling her eyes. Gesturing to her to proceed, he watched as she marched towards the open rear of the plane. "Shadow, baby? Are you coming?" she yelled.

A red flash shot out from inside the darkened hold, and a crack like summer lightning echoed across the tarmac. Looking into the plane in panic, Rouge turned to the others.

"He's gone!" she cried.

"What?!" said Knuckles. Sonic idly scanned his eyes across the floor, pretending to be disinterested.

"Sonic, Shadow's disappeared!" said Rouge.

"Oh well," said Sonic. Rouge looked at him incredulously.

" _Oh well?_ " she said, hands firmly on her hips, "is that all you have to say?"

"Yeah," Sonic said, shrugging his shoulders, "I figured Shadow would ditch us as soon as we got back. You know how much he hates spending time with anyone."

"I can tell that you're lying Sonic," Rouge said, her eyes narrowing, "and I also know there's something going on between you two. On the plane I felt like I was going to have to throw a bucket of ice water over you, so spill the beans. What's the deal, and where did Shadow go?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Sonic, heading up the stairs towards the building, "I'm just glad that misery-guts is gone. There's only so much emo a person can take."

"Sonic!" said Knuckles, glaring at him, "Shadow just disappears when we need his help, and you don't even care? I thought he was your boyfriend now."

"What?!" said Sonic with a deliberate exaggeration, "I'm not _gay_ , and I certainly wouldn't go gay for that jerk."

He did care. Even though he knew what was coming, the moment Shadow left he felt a tightness constricting his chest, and his shoulders slumping. Even his voice dropped as a weight of melancholy pushed down on him. Rouge and Knuckles must have picked up on it; Shadow was right, he _was_ a terrible liar.

He pushed his way through the glass doors, ignoring the icy glares digging into his back. Quickly marching out of sight along a corridor, he breathed a sigh of relief. But a new thought niggled at him, something he had said made him consider an interesting notion.

_Never really thought about it before,_ he thought, _does loving Shadow this much make me gay?_

He shrugged his shoulders, not really caring either way. He loved Shadow, that was all that mattered. There was another he loved, though not in quite the same way. With a desperate yearning in his heart, he dashed down the corridor in search of his best friend.

~o~

* * *

His heart beat steadily faster as he approached the silver doors waiting patiently for him at the end of the corridor. For once, it was not fear that drove his palpitations, but excitement; he would soon be reunited with the one he loved the most.

Not Shadow, much as he would have liked it to be. Though he burned with desire for his dark counterpart, that flame fizzled before his longing to see his little Tails, his brother and eternal companion.

He would have to put Shadow out his mind for now. It had barely been half an hour since he left, but he felt his heart pining for him; they had spent so much time together recently that absence had become painful. But he didn't want Tails to know that, so he put his long absent mask of happiness back where it belonged. After all, Shadow had chosen to go, but Tails needed him, and he needed the fox by his side more than ever.

Sweeping the double doors open, he entered into a large canteen swarming with people and thick with the scent of hot food. The crowd proved no obstacle for him, and his vision zeroed in on a flash of orange and white fur.

"Tails!" he cried, drowning out the din around him. Tails span around in his seat, his face brightening up the whole room when he saw Sonic.

"Sonic!" yelled Tails, leaping out of his seat and sprinting toward him. Pushing their way past the other Mobians, they clashed together, Sonic sweeping Tails off his feet into his arms, showering his forehead with kisses and nuzzling his fur. Joy swept over his body, filling him with a warmth unlike any he had known.

"Oh, Tails," he said, "I love you, little buddy. I love you more than anything!"

"Ew! Sonic!" Tails protested, trying to push Sonic away, "stop with the mushy stuff! Everyone's looking at us."

Sonic opened his eyes to see a crowd of Mobians around them, fixing them with strange looks. Sonic glared back at them.

"Haven't you people got lunch waiting?" he said, "get lost!"

The people grumbled collectively before moving along, and Sonic released Tails from his tight embrace.

"I'm so glad you're back, Sonic!"

"Glad to _be_ back, little buddy," said Sonic, ruffling Tails' bangs, "it's been a heck of a week. Why don't we go somewhere quiet to talk about it?"

They took hold of each other's hands and walked out of the bustling canteen. Sonic smiled at Tails, a joyous feeling rushing through him.

He had his little brother back. He was finally home.

~o~

* * *

"Quite a story, huh?" said Sonic. Tails had gained them access to Baxter's now vacant office, and amidst the antiques and box files Sonic had regaled his adoptive brother with the whole thing, from becoming trapped in the temple to fighting for their lives in snow-covered wilderness. Sonic couldn't help but add exaggerations, wild gestures and sound effects to every part of the tale, but Tails lapped up every word, his namesakes wagging uncontrollably with excitement.

He hadn't told Tails every part of the story; though he spoke of how he and Shadow had worked together to save the day, he hadn't mentioned the more intimate parts. Even to Tails he struggled to bring himself to talk about what he had shared with Shadow.

"I'll say," said Tails, "you and Shadow make one heck of a team. Do you think he'll hang around with us more often now?"

Sonic avoided the fox's gaze; he still didn't know how to tell him about Shadow's disappearance, or why he had gone.

"I don't know about that," he said, "you know how Shadow is."

"But you like each other now, right?" said Tails. Sonic stared into those deep blue eyes, and he felt himself crumbling before their innocent beauty. He couldn't lie to Tails about how he felt; it would be like he was lying to himself. Summoning up his courage he prepared to speak.

"Well, the thing is, Tails," he said, rubbing the back of his head, "I don't just like him, I... I _like_ like him." A childish way of putting it, but more likely to be something Tails could relate to. He was a whiz kid for science, but complex relationship stuff was still above him.

"You _like_ like him?" asked Tails cautiously, "so... you wanna kiss him and stuff?" Sonic blushed a deep crimson at the thought of it. It had seemed so right at the time, but the thought of Tails being privy to his passionate display turned his stomach.

"Er... yeah, that's right. Y'know, and cuddle and... hold hands and all that."

"Does he want to kiss you?" asked Tails.

"I'm not sure," he said, still trying to wrap his head around Shadow's intentions, "I guess... maybe."

"It would be cool if he did," said Tails, surprising Sonic.

"It would?"

"Yeah," said Tails, smiling warmly, "you could get married, and he could live with us and be my new big brother."

"Slow down a bit there, buddy! I'm not ready for anything like that just now."

"I know, Sonic," said Tails, with a mischievous smile on his face, "I'm only teasing. I always thought you said you never had time for lovey-dovey stuff."

"Yeah, I did say that, and you know what? I still don't."

"What do you mean?"

"How can I explain?" said Sonic, pacing around the small office, "I just can't see me and Shadow... _together_ , like a normal couple. You know what I mean; going out for candlelit dinners, holding hands in the park, having se... having some ice cream on a sunny day. That's just not me, and it's definitely not Shadow." He sighed, looking around aimlessly.

"What I enjoy is fighting bad guys, running around and saving people," he said with frustration, "not settling down with someone. Not while I'm still young and able. I don't know. I don't know what I want."

The two boys sat in silence for a while, each lost in thought. Eventually Tails looked up, with the same expression on his face as if he'd just invented some new device or solved a theorem.

"Wait a sec..." he said, "fighting bad guys, running around and saving people? Isn't that what you've spent the past few days doing with Shadow?"

The realisation struck Sonic like a punch to the gut. Who said anything about boring couple stuff? If he was going to be with Shadow, he would be fighting alongside him. They could save the world together, then celebrate with passionate affection. He finally understood his attraction to the black hedgehog; he was the only person who could keep up with him. He could give him the sort of relationship he desired; to have a true equal who wouldn't slow him down.

"Yeah, I guess it is," he said, "I suppose that's why I like him."

"So why don't you go find him?" said Tails, "tell him you want to do that more often?" Sonic's face fell, and his heart accompanied it.

"Shadow's... not here, Tails," he said, looking at the floor, "he's gone to spend some time alone." He remained stoic in front of Tails, seeming so much like Shadow, but really confusion span around him. He knew Shadow would come back, he was certain of it. There was no lie in his voice when he had said it. So why did he feel like he had been abandoned?

Tails fiddled with his namesakes, sensing Sonic's downturn in his mood.

"Oh, well I'm sure we'll see him again soon."

"C'mon Tails, let's not talk about this relationship stuff," said Sonic, bouncing back into smiling, "what have you been doing?"

Tails face lit up, and he began to tell his story. Sonic smiled with pride at the tale of how his fox friend outsmarted snotty receptionists and obtuse GUN commanders, laughed warmly at his new friendship with Doctor Samuels, and recoiled in horror at the mention of Fake Sonic.

"That... _thing_ is still alive?" he said, fear creeping into him, "and it's in the building?" Tails nodded, and Sonic steeled himself.

"Show me."

~o~

* * *

The lab buzzed with activity. White-coated Mobians dashed between workbenches, typed furiously on keyboards and studied reams of notes. Spinning whirring contraptions glowed with ominous light, scrutinised by intrepid researchers. Sonic and Tails weaved their way through the blur of lab coats, until a white fox came towards them.

"Tails!" said Dr. Samuels, putting her arms around him "good to see you."

"Good to see you too, Kate," said Tails, returning the hug, "this is my best friend, Sonic." Sonic waved, and Samuels looked at him with awe.

"So you're the great Hero I've heard so much about," she said, shaking his hand, "I must say it's an honour."

"Please, no grovelling," said Sonic with a cheeky smile, "I hate that. Has someone been talking me up then?" He threw a glance to Tails, who blushed, idly twiddling his foot against the ground. Sonic couldn't help but laugh.

"We're here to see the Chaos bots," said Tails, and Samuels face instantly fell.

"Oh, really?" she said, "it's bad enough I have to work in here with them in the next room. Why would you willingly want to see it?"

"May we?" Tails asked in a sweet-sounding tone. Sonic laughed to himself when recognised that faux-adorable voice Tails used to get his own way.

"Fine," said Samuels, rolling her eyes, "but don't let it frighten you."

"Nothing can frighten me so long as Sonic's here," said Tails, wrapping an arm around Sonic's middle, and receiving a peach arm around his shoulders.

A loud wet thud sounded from the chamber in front of them, and Tails leapt into Sonic's arms with a yelp, wrapping his arms around his neck and trembling. Seeing what was on the other side of the glass, Sonic wished he could leap into Shadow's arms in the same way.

Flesh oozing across the clear pane, fur dripping to the floor in great gobs of sticky fluid, a face so like his own, but twisted and saggy, with lips that parted with a wet smacking sound. Sonic's doppelganger pressed itself against the window, warping and smearing its body across the smooth surface, and beneath the mess that horrible sadistic grin could still be seen.

"Well, well" it gurgled, "look who's come to play. It's Sonic the knockoff!"

"Holy shit, doc!" said Sonic, not daring to take his eyes of the shambling thing, "what the heck's happened to it?"

"Since the initial Chaos strike that re-activated it, the higher-ups ordered all our reserves to shielding the building against another attack. My guess is that without a steady supply of Chaos, it's losing its ability to keep your form."

"I'm just having a bad quill day," said Fake Sonic through strained breaths, "but I'll be much better soon. You'll see, Tails. You'll all see. I'm Daddy's favourite, and he's going to rescue me."

"The damn thing's even crazier than before!" said Sonic.

"I suspect its mind is degrading as well," said Samuels, "kind of a disturbing thought when you think about it."

"My brothers will be here soon," wheezed Fake Sonic, "and they've all got presents for me. We're going to have a big ol' party, and sing some lovely songs. I know a good song..." Sonic shook his head, disgusted by the crazy thing's rambling.

" _Tonight there's going to be a jailbreak_ ," droned the flat off-key voice, " _so don't you be around_ …"

"I've seen enough," said Sonic, feeling the fox trembling against him, "we're leaving you now, you freak." He turned and began to carry Tails towards the door.

"What's the matter, Sonic?" the voice came from behind him, "is someone a bit... yellow? I'll be yellow soon. I'll be brighter than the sun."

He continued to walk, ignoring the high-pitched, gurgling laughter from behind him. Focusing only on the door ahead, he didn't stop moving until he and Tails were safely through the doors and out of sight of his copy. He let Tails down to the floor, and began to pace, tension gnawing at every part of him.

"Gah!" he exclaimed loudly, "I hate these damn robots! Why can't they leave me alone?"

"Sonic?" asked Tails, keeping a short distance from Sonic's aggravated movement, "what did he mean by 'yellow?' You don't think he means to turn super, do you?" Sonic stopped pacing, looking at Tails with concern.

"No, no," he said, waving his hand dismissively "he can't do that. Not without the Chaos Emeralds, which I have no intention of delivering to him."

"Where are the Chaos Emeralds anyway?"

"I'm not sure," said Sonic, "Shadow usually keeps one all for himself, and you know how they tend to move about of their own accord." He noticed Tails scratching his chin contemplatively. "What are you thinking, buddy?"

"Suppose someone had the Chaos Emeralds," said Tails, "even with only six it would give them unsurpassed control over Chaos energy. They could direct the power of the Emeralds to someone remotely as easily as crossing the street."

"You're not suggesting-?" Sonic asked, afraid to finish the question.

"Our mystery villain has the Emeralds, less the one Shadow's got," said Tails, "his first attack on this place was just a test, dipping his toe in the water, so to speak. Something big is coming, and it involves Super Sonic, or a version of him anyway."

"Why hasn't it happened yet?"

"GUN diverted all their Chaos reserves to shielding this place against attack. It's a Chaos energy fortress now, I doubt even the Emeralds could bust through it," said Tails, and Sonic breathed a sigh of relief. He did not want that abomination with his face turning Super. He would do anything to prevent that happening.

"Unless…" said Tails, and Sonic's breath leapt back into him in a gasp.

"The only way someone could get enough Chaos energy in here to turn Fake Sonic super would be to physically carry it inside with some kind of container," continued Tails, "but it would have so much power it would glow brighter than the sun. There's no way it wouldn't trip the sensors and be repelled."

"Brighter than the sun?" asked Sonic, scratching his own chin and murmuring to himself, "that's what he… I mean, _it_ said."

"I suppose they could ram raid the front door with a truck carrying some kind of device…" said Tails. Sonic shook his head.

"That's too crude," he said, "whoever is behind this is toying with us, trying to prove how much cleverer than us he is. He's crazier than a zeppelin full of custard, and I bet he'll have something over- the-top planned, something designed to unsettle us as well as threaten, something we'll never see coming."

"Who _is_ behind this?" asked Tails, "do we have any idea at all?"

"I have a suspicion," said Sonic, recalling the dark voice that taunted him throughout the woods of Cybernia, "there's only one person I know who could hate me that much."

The two boys stood in the hallway for a few minutes, scratching their chins. When their eyes met, they noticed they both held the same position; hand contemplatively under the chin, elbow resting on their other hand, lips pursed in deep thought. They both burst into laughter, before embracing again, their doubts fading away before their friendship.

"Come on," said Sonic, "let's go back to the canteen. I'm starving, and we can't do all this pondering on an empty stomach." They marched down the corridor back toward the canteen, stopping when they passed a wooden door with a silhouette of a male Mobian embossed upon it.

"Go on without me, Tails," said Sonic, "I gotta use the John. Save a chilli dog for me."

Tails ran off down the corridor, and Sonic pushed the door to the bathroom open. The cool air washed over him, presenting him with a stylish marble counter, shiny polished metal taps and spotless floors.

"Wow," he said aloud, "that's your Tax Rings at work."

After making use of the facilities, he stood over the sink, letting warm water wash over his gloves. Looking up he caught sight of another Sonic, flinching when he saw it. He stopped to catch his breath, relieved that it was only his reflection in the mirror. He still felt unsettled to see another him again; after all the crap he had been put through, he hoped to never see another blue hedgehog so long as he lived.

Turning off the tap, he stood with his hands resting on the edge of the sink, staring into his own emerald eyes. A heavy feeling of dejectedness weighed down on him, and he sighed a deep rattling breath. Looking into the mirror at his own face, he noticed a single tear streak down his cheek. He tried to hide his pain, letting his joy of seeing Tails again overwhelm his sorrow, but here in solitude and silence, he could not escape it.

_Shadow… please, please come back. I need you._

~o~


	22. XXI – A Bad Case of the Blues

**XXI – A Bad Case of the Blues**  
  
In a quiet street in Station Square, a small newspaper booth stood on the corner, a wooden green sentinel watching over the usually busy crossroad. Inside, an old sheepdog Mobian slumped on a rickety wooden chair, reading his paper and smoking a drooping cigarette that scattered ash across the floor.  
  
The streets had been quiet of late, and business was slow. Since the attack most people stayed at home, and with the city centre being a smoking crater, there wouldn't be much for them to do even if they did go out.  
  
He didn't mind so much; the street usually heaved with hustle and bustle, never giving him a moment to relax, and there was always some punk kid around waiting to cause trouble. Like that fox he saw the other day, the one who messed up his stand.  
  
Kids these days have no discipline, he thought to himself, if I catch him around here again I'll put him over my knee and give him twenty of my best. Browsing his paper, he saw yet another story about Sonic's rampage and disappearance. Another one who could do with a good hiding.  
  
Something blue shot past the corner of his vision, and he looked up. Nothing but an empty street greeted him. Looking back at his paper, another shot of blue caught his eye, and he stood up, peering through the window of his booth.  
  
Blue again, but this time he saw it clearly. A blue hedgehog with red sneakers sprinted down the street, looking like he was going for platinum on the hundred metres. The old sheepdog glanced from the picture in his paper to the hedgehog running past him, and the connection switched on in his mind.  
  
That was Sonic, he thought in surprise, Sonic the Hedgehog!  
  
He reached for his phone, intending to call the police. He would claim a handsome reward for turning in Mobius' most wanted, enough to hang up his flat cap for good, he hoped. Before he could dial, another flash of blue caught his eye. Looking up he saw Sonic running past his booth again, from left to right just as he had done a few seconds ago.  
  
Has he gone around the whole block already?  
  
He watched Sonic sprint away down the street. Seconds later the blue hedgehog passed his booth again, from left to right.  
  
Then another, then another, then another.  
  
He scratched his head as identical blue hedgehogs continued to file past him. His coffee mug began to vibrate across the counter, and a sound like a torrent of rain grew louder and louder.  
  
With a thunderous din the street ahead of him swarmed with blue, as a wave of hedgehogs poured along the streets, the feet hammering the road and kicking up a swirling cloud of dust. As he looked on, dumbstruck at the tsunami of quills flooding the street, he caught a glimpse of the expression on their faces.  
  
They were all smiling in exactly the same way; a wicked smile glowing with malicious intent. His heart pounded with terror at the sight of it, and with trembling hands he reached for his phone to call the police.  
  
Before he could dial the first number, something leapt through the window of his booth. The last thing he saw was piercing green eyes, and that smile.  
  
~o~  
  
Tails looked glumly at a lonely chilli dog occupying the space next to him. The canteen had quietened down since the last time he was there, and opposite him Knuckles messily devoured a burger, dripping red sauce over his plate. Tails shifted uncomfortably in his seat, constantly turning around to look towards the double doors with apprehension hanging over him.  
  
"What's wrong, Tails?" said Knuckles through a mouthful of food, "you've barely touched your fries."  
  
"I'm just wondering where Sonic is," said Tails, glancing at the door again, "his chilli dog's getting cold."  
  
"Probably gone off to cry about Shadow," said Knuckles with a chuckle. Tails turned fully around to face him, staring at him in confusion.  
  
"Huh?" he said, "Don't be stupid. Sonic doesn't cry." Sonic hardly ever got upset over anything, and if he did, it was usually over before it began, and he would bounce right back to smiling with joy as he always did. Knuckles laughed, wiping his mouth with a paper napkin.  
  
"Didn't anyone tell you?" said Knuckles, "he got ditched, and now he's trying to act like nothing happened."  
  
"Ditched?" Tails felt even more confused. Knuckles couldn't help but laugh again.  
  
"So apparently," said Knuckles, leaning in to speak to Tails, "Sonic and Shadow got a little friendly on their trip to Cybernia. Like, really friendly if you know what I mean."  
  
"Real subtle, Knux," said Tails, rolling his eyes, "I know they like to kiss each other and stuff."  
  
"Is that what they call it these days?" Knuckles said sarcastically, stopping himself when he remembered who he was talking to, "anyway... we were just getting used to the idea, when Shadow just up and disappears. Chaos Controls out of there without saying goodbye to anyone."  
  
"And that made Sonic cry?" Tails asked.  
  
"Well, no," said Knuckles, "but he was all like 'oh whatever, I don't even like Shadow.'" Trying real hard to sound like he didn't care, but something happened between them, and you could tell he was bummed out. So yeah, I bet Sonic is off somewhere crying about it." Tails felt a heat rising within him, the sound of Knuckles laughter making him grip the table's edge.  
  
"I'm glad you're finding this so funny, Knucklehead!" he barked, making Knuckles jump, his wide grin rapidly diminishing, "If Shadow really did leave him, poor Sonic must be heartbroken. Just how would you feel if Rouge did the same to you?" Knuckles face began to glow even redder than his fur, and he looked around nervously.  
  
"What? Me and Rouge aren't... you know."  
  
"Pull the other one Knuckles," said Tails, "I've seen the way you look at each other. Even a kid like me can tell you like her that way."  
  
"Alright, alright," Knuckles said, waving his arms in an attempt to quieten Tails down, "you've made your point. Where are you going?" Tails had risen from his chair, leaving his uneaten food behind.  
  
"I'm going to find Sonic," he said, "he needs me by his side. He shouldn't be alone right now"  
  
~o~  
  
Slumped in the bathroom stall seated on the closed lid of the commode, Sonic sighed heavily, his breath echoing through the tiny space. He didn't feel like eating or sleeping, he just wanted to sit in this quiet space with the door locked and lose himself in thought. He finally understood why Shadow wanted to be alone all the time. Solitude offered him a kind of tranquillity that couldn't be found with friends, however much he cared for them.  
  
He didn't understand his paradox: the reason he wanted to be alone is because Shadow had left him alone. His loneliness made him desire further loneliness. This was supposed to be his time to reflect on how he truly felt about Shadow, but there was only one thought that came to his mind.  
  
I need him.  
  
Was this what it would be like? Barely able to spend five minutes away from Shadow without pining so much it hurt? Even now he pictured Shadow's form in his mind; imagined running his hands across his strong yet graceful figure, gazing longingly into those powerful red eyes that pierced his soul, and losing himself in that oh-so-masculine carpet of long white chest fur that made him weak at the knees.  
  
Yet there was more to Shadow than his physical appearance. He admired Shadow's hidden virtues: his honour, his determination, his steadfast friendship that needed to be earned. They drew him to Shadow almost as much as his lust did, he knew Shadow desperately needed to be a good person, if only he'd let someone help him. He didn't want to be so pragmatic and ruthless; Sonic could tell that just from looking into his eyes, and he felt bad for constantly reminding Shadow of that gulf between them. If Shadow could trust him enough, Sonic could be that someone, to guide him towards being a true hero like he wanted.  
  
Sighing again and sliding further into his slouch, Sonic idly twiddled the fingers on his right hand. A flash of blue caught his eye, and he felt his fingertips tingle. Allowing his dormant Chaos energy to flow through his arm, he conjured a spinning ball of blue light in his palm. Closing his eyes and slowly moving his fingers as he had done in the cabin, he visualised something that made him happy. Opening his eyes he saw the chilli dog made from pure blue energy hovering above his hand. With a flick of his wrist the dog began to float through the air, dancing in front of his mouth.  
  
He leaned forward and bit into it. It didn't feel solid, more like a gas, but it crackled and fizzled inside his mouth, tickling his insides as it passed into him. Sonic laughed a little at the sensation, before opening his palm again.  
  
The energy moved along his arm once more, and the orb reappeared. Closing his eyes, he tried to picture something more complex. Focusing hard on the image of happiness, Sonic playfully moved his fingers as they trembled with power flowing around them. Opening his eyes again, he gasped when he saw what he had made.  
  
Above his hand a perfect replica of a two-tailed fox Mobian hovered in miniature. Sonic watched as the blue Tails gently span through the air, and a broad smile settled on his face at the display. Another idea sprang into his mind, and he recalled the glowing fox boy to his hand, his form melting back into the orb.  
  
It's amazing how much easier this gets the more I try it, thought Sonic, now for the big one.  
  
Focusing intently, he channelled the image in his mind into the orb. After a few moments of shifting and pulsating, the orb became a model of Shadow. Sonic's heart rose to see the familiar outline of his favourite hedgehog that wasn't himself.  
  
Not bad, he thought, shame it can't be full size. Or can it?  
  
The wild idea taking a hold of him, Sonic forced as much energy as he dare into the mini-Shadow, drawing on the background Chaos around him. The replica began to swell, growing larger and larger, and Sonic's arm crackled with incandescent blue light. As he squeezed the last drop he dare into his creation, he relaxed with a sigh. In front of him a life size model of Shadow stood in rippling blue, filling the stall with a sombre glow. As Sonic admired his vision of beauty, he thought something about it looked odd.  
  
Did it just move?  
  
Sonic nearly jumped through the ceiling when the Shadow mannequin took a step towards him.  
  
Holy cow! he thought, am I doing that? The oddest sensation overcame Sonic. The Shadow in front him felt like part of his own body, and he knew that he was the one making it move, yet it still seemed separate, like he had two bodies at once.  
  
He prepared to dissipate the thing, the strange sensation unnerving him slightly, when the blue Shadow began to run its 'hand' along Sonic's thigh. Sonic froze, and his breath caught in his chest; a pleasurable rush and tingle of Chaos shot through him as the blue hand slid through the fur on his leg. As the hand neared his groin, a nervous heat over took his face. Why was he letting it do this? No, that wasn't right, why was he making it do it? Why couldn't he stop it?  
  
The blue Shadow took its hand away and clambered onto his lap. It had no weight, and at every point it made contact Sonic's skin trembled from the energy passing through him. As the blue Shadow leant towards his face, Sonic felt an uncontrollable urge to meet it.  
  
It's 'lips' crackled against his, despite not being solid; they felt like they had substance to Sonic. A tongue made of pure energy thrust into his mouth, electricity surging into him. His memory of Shadow's kisses had become manifest, all that was missing was Shadow's pleasant scent. Pulling away he stared into Blue Shadow's 'eyes,' and despite their completely solid cobalt, Sonic thought he saw caring crimson staring back at him.  
  
"Shadow," he purred, lost in his fantasy, "I want you. I need you."  
  
He took Blue Shadow tightly in his arms, thrust his lips upon the other and fell into a dream.  
  
~o~  
  
White corridors and silver doors, corners looping around without end.  
  
Tails scratched his head as he turned yet another corner to see... white corridors and silver doors. He knew he was hopelessly lost in the labyrinth that made up GUN's regional headquarters. He had passed several bathrooms, but found them all empty, with no sign of his blue buddy.  
  
Wringing his hands, his desperation to find Sonic became palpable. He kept thinking about his brother, maybe sitting somewhere all alone and crying his eyes out, and he remembered all the times Sonic had been there to comfort him; it was time to repay the favour.  
  
Yet the thought of Sonic crying brought another image to his mind; a strike to his face, fists punching him in the sides, sneakered feet kicking him while he lay on the floor and screamed for mercy. A hand crushing his throat.  
  
He felt like an idiot for letting Fake Sonic emotionally manipulate him like that, making him feel like he deserved it. A worrying notion teased at him; what would happen if the real Sonic ever turned nasty? What if Fake Sonic's behaviour was a reflection of what Sonic would be like if he lost his way?  
  
He hesitated as he approached another set of silver double doors. If Sonic was really so upset right now, who was to say he wouldn't lash out at his friends, at him? And would he let Sonic walk all over him again?  
  
He shook his head briskly, dispelling the unpleasant imaginings. His Sonic would never do that; he was kind, caring, affectionate and most of all, a hero. He knew Sonic would never abandon him, and would not leave Sonic; not under any circumstances.  
  
Pushing through the doors, Tails found himself in the spacious lobby. Resigning himself to his fate he plodded over to the reception desk to ask for help. Peering over the circular silver desk, he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the snooty avian from the previous few days was absent. Instead, a female mouse sat behind the desk, looking up at him and giving him a welcoming smile.  
  
"Hi there, little guy," she said in a sickly-sweet voice, "what's the matter? Are you lost?" Tails found her tone incredibly patronising, but at least it was genuine; she clearly didn't realise he had an IQ higher than her whole family put together.  
  
And he was lost.  
  
"Uh... yeah," he said, "I'm looking for my friend. I know he's in the building somewhere. Can you find him on the security cameras?"  
  
"I can certainly take a look for you," said the mouse, "what does your friend look like?"  
  
"Well, he's a-" Tails began, turning around when he heard a bang behind him. A Rottweiler burst through the front door of the lobby, slamming his hand on a large button on the wall, before sprinting towards the desk.  
  
"He's a hedgehog," said Tails, turning back to the mouse, "about four ten, blue and peach fur, with green eyes. I last saw him-"  
  
The Rottweiler reached the desk, pushing Tails to one side and gripping his hands against the edge. Heavy panting escaped him, and a panic-stricken look dominated his face. Reaching over the desk he took hold of a phone receiver and frantically dialled a few numbers.  
  
"Code Red!" he barked into the phone, and his voice echoed through the lobby, ringing out from the loudspeakers, "I repeat, Code Red! All hands to battle stations. We are under attack, I repeat, we are under attack!"  
  
"You there!" he said, rounding on Tails, "did you say something about a blue hedgehog?"  
  
"Yeah," said Tails, confused, "my friend-"  
  
"I think you better take a look at this," he said, grabbing Tails by the hand and dragging him towards the front door. Cautiously Tails approached the glass, his heartbeat starting to rapidly increase as what awaited him became clear.  
  
Outside the building stood Sonic the Hedgehog. Next to him stood Sonic the Hedgehog. Next to him stood... Sonic the Hedgehog. An ocean of blue hedgehogs assembled shoulder to shoulder along the road stretching away from the building as far as the eye could see, covering every scrap of available ground under a carpet of cobalt quills. Tails' fear threatened to implode within him as he gazed upon a tapestry of sinister smiles, and his eyes met an endless wall of green irises.  
  
They were all looking straight at him.  
  
~o~  
  
"Disperse! I order you to disperse!"  
  
The voice of General Tarquin issued forth from a megaphone, sweeping over the streets in front of the building, but garnered no reaction from the army of Sonics. Like row upon row of mannequins they stood in eerie silence, the same wicked smile plastered across each of their faces.  
  
"This is your last warning," shouted Tarquin from his vantage point on the roof, "disperse, or we will take action against you."  
  
The Sonics began to laugh, their heads moving in perfect synchronicity, lending their ranks the appearance of a single giant blue organism waking from slumber. Their laughter converged into a single deafening shout of madness.  
  
Unnerved by the sound, Tarquin turned to the men assembled on the rooftop.  
  
"Fire at their feet," he said, "Try to scatter them. I don't know what on Mobius these things are, but on the off-chance that's just the Sonic fan club out there, I don't want any civilian blood on my hands."  
  
The soldiers began to fire their rifles over the edge of the roof, the cacophony of the discharge rattling through the air. The concrete in front of the Sonics cracked and billowed dust, and sparks danced along the ground in time to the dreadful noise.  
  
"Cease firing!" said Tarquin. The mayhem ceased, and the eagle peered over the edge. As the dust cleared, he saw a thousand emerald eyes looking up at him, and a thousand toothy grins. The Sonics had not flinched, not a single quill was out of place.  
  
With an audible movement of flesh the smiles disappeared, and every one of the Sonics' faces shifted into a scowl. The great mass surged forward, and the blue hedgehogs charged towards the building like a wave breaking against the shore.  
  
"Open fire!" screamed Tarquin. The sound of gunfire rose up again, and a hail of bullets cascaded down from the roof. All across the road Sonics began to fall, spasming to the ground in a shower of crimson. The blue tide did not falter, the hedgehogs simply trampling over their fallen comrades. From below them the soldiers heard the sounds of dozens of fists pounding on glass, and the muffled panicked outcry resonating from the floors below. One soldier leaned forward to look over the precipice.  
  
"Sir!" he shouted, "they're climbing up the walls!"  
  
A peach arm shot up, seizing him by the neck and hurling him screaming from the battlements. In his place a blue hedgehog crawled over the edge, before being shot dead by another soldier. All along the roof the same scenario played out, the Sonics clambering over the edge faster than they could be put down. Tarquin stood dumbstruck at the sight of hedgehogs overrunning his men, savagely beating them with their own weapons, laughing as they dragged them over the edge and falling to their deaths together.  
  
"F-Fall back!" he cried, "set up a perimeter inside!"  
  
He turned to head for the rooftop entrance, and came face to face with a pair of emerald eyes.  
  
~o~  
  
Tails ran. He ran as fast as his twirling namesakes could carry him. Across the marble floor of the lobby, weaving between rows of soldiers heading for the front door, tears streaming from his eyes, he sped along pursued by fear. His mind swirled with visions of the abuse Fake Sonic had laid on him, over and over the beatings replayed in his mind.  
  
"No no no no no no," he babbled as he fled. Reaching the end of the lobby he ducked behind a circular pillar, sitting on the floor against it. His whole body shook with terror, and he rocked back and forth, furiously chewing the ends of his fingers.  
  
"He's going to get me, he's going to get me..." he repeated over and over. He closed his eyes, but instantly Fake Sonic's leering face appeared behind his eyelids.  
  
I'm going to get you, Tails!  
  
The little fox screamed and began wailing, desperately reaching out to the soldier's charging past him. He felt himself regressing, slipping back into younger days when everything had the power to frighten him. The days before he met Sonic.  
  
"Sonic!" he bawled, "I need my Sonic! Where is he?"  
  
From over his shoulder he heard the crack of a sonic boom, followed by a thundering impact, and the sounds of soldiers shouting.  
  
"That glass is reinforced against missile attacks," he heard one say, "there's no way they'll bust through it."  
  
Trembling, Tails crept out from behind the pillar to peek into the lobby. Another sonic boom rang out, and he saw one of the Sonics smash into the glass of the front door, splattering it with blood and making it shake from the impact. As the body fell to the floor the other Sonics grabbed it and tossed it aside. Another boom, and another heavy thud against the door.  
  
"Holy shit!" shouted a soldier, "they're breaking through!"  
  
"Hold your position!" barked their leader.  
  
With a piercing crash the door caved in completely, and a blue hedgehog staggered through, covered in gashes and impaled with broken glass, before collapsing onto the polished floor. Behind him they poured in, hedgehog after hedgehog surging into the lobby.  
  
The guns started up with their awful din, spent bullet casings flooding across the floor and smoke swirling through the air. Tails winced at the sight of the Sonics writhing in pain over and over, before dropping like hunks of meat. But something else about them disturbed him even more; before any of them hit the floor, they flashed blue, reverting back to the spindly silver robots they were underneath before crashing against the polished marble.  
  
"Ha!" he heard a soldier say, "I thought Sonic was supposed to be fast! This is just like shooting fish in a barrel!"  
  
Tails mind began to race. The Sonic robots were moving rather slowly, considering who they were supposed to be impersonating. Tails thought it looked like they wanted to be shot.  
  
Something clicked, and a new terror rushed into him. Sonic had warned him about this; about a plan so crazy they would never see it coming. He rushed forwards, waving his arms and trying to attract the attention of the soldiers.  
  
"Stop!" he cried, "stop shooting! They want you to kill them!" His plea fell on deaf ears, and the soldiers continue to mow down the Sonics, flashes of blue blinding Tails as each one fell and reverted back to its robot form. The commander of the unit, a brown rat, caught sight of Tails as he gestured manically.  
  
"Get out of here!" he bellowed over the gunfire, "this is a combat zone!"  
  
"Wait!" cried Tails, "You need to stop shooting! The Chaos energy-" Tails plea was cut short as the rat seized him by his scruff and dragged him along the polished floor.  
  
"This is not a place for civilians, and it's definitely not safe for children!" said the commander. Tails struggled against his grip, trying to prise the strong brown hand from his chest fur.  
  
"Listen to me!" yelled Tails, "each one of those Sonic bots is carrying a packet of Chaos energy within their own body, small enough to bypass the shields. When you kill them, the energy is being released and sent to-" His breath left him when the commander tossed him against the floor on the far side of the lobby.  
  
"I haven't got time for this nonsense!" said the rat, "I've got a battle to co-ordinate. You need to head for the rear entrance, join the evacuation teams and get the heck out of here!"  
  
"But-"  
  
The rat had already turned away from him, sprinting towards the battle raging in the lobby. Tails leapt to his feet, turned and sprinted towards the rear of lobby, knowing he had to find Dr. Samuels. As he dashed along a corridor, he mentally kicked himself.  
  
I should have seen this coming, he thought, individually it's a small enough amount of Chaos energy to bypass the shields , but spread across thousands of Sonics it amounts to a heck of a lot of energy, and I know exactly where it's going.  
  
~o~  
  
Panic hounded his every step as the silver doors rushed past him. He sped along the sterile corridors frantically looking for the main lab, or any sign of the real Sonic. Stopping by a set of windows looking out on to the city, he whimpered with fear as he realised he had been through this part of the building twice already. Sorrow dragged him down, goading him to just sit on the floor and cry, but he would not give up. Sonic had taught him to never surrender, and he vowed to keep going.  
  
He found it strange how many situations seemed so much more daunting without Sonic behind him.  
  
He took a few more steps along the passage, when the window in front of him imploded, showering the narrow walkway with shards of tinted glass. Something heavy impacted into the opposite wall, and in front of him the mangled corpse of one of the Sonics sprawled across the carpet before reverting to a spindly silver mannequin with a blue flash. Through the window several more Sonics clambered through, ignoring the jagged fragments of the window cutting crimson gashes into them. Each one wore that same horrible smile that haunted Tails' dreams.  
  
"Tails…" they chattered with demented glee, "Tails…come and play with us."  
  
He heart pounded so fast he felt like he could die on the spot, but he turned to run back down the corridor. The window behind him caved in, and more Sonic-things poured in through the aperture. Surrounded on all sides by bleeding, leering duplicates of his best friend reaching for him, Tails collapsed to the floor, holding his head and shrieking.  
  
The nearest Sonic to him held his hand inches from Tails' throat.  
  
With a cry of pain one of the blue doppelgangers flew across the corridor, impacting the wall hard enough to dent it. Tails heard the sound of a commotion, and the Sonics began to fall, against the wall and out the window, as a red blur swept through them. Seizing the nearest Sonic to the prone fox, Knuckles seized him by the throat and slammed him headfirst into the wall, smashing the hedgehog's head through the plaster and leaving the body twitching in place.  
  
Tails looked up in amazement, but behind him another ruckus broke out, and he turned to see the rest of the Sonics sprawled across the floor, flashing with blue back to their default forms. In the middle of the chaos a white bat finished her last opponent off with a swift kick to the face.  
  
"Whew! I never thought being surrounded by so many hot guys could be a bad thing," said Rouge, smirking at her fallen foes and adjusting her ears.  
  
Tails leapt to his feet, sweeping his arms around Knuckles and then around Rouge, weeping with joy as he cuddled them both.  
  
"Oh, thank Gaia you came!" he cried, "I was so scared, I thought I was gonna die!"  
  
"Not if we can help it," said Knuckles, "what the heck is going on? What are these things, and why do they all look like Sonic?"  
  
"No time to explain!" yelled Tails, "Rouge, do you know how to get to the Chaos Analysis Lab from here?"  
  
"Sure thing, hon," she said, "I know this place like the back of my hand."  
  
"Take me there, now!"  
  
~o~  
  
As they raced towards the lab, Tails fear grew with every step. All around them the sounds of deafening gunfire carried through the walls, and muffling shouting and screaming rang out from every corner of the building.  
  
"Tails!" said Rouge through strained breaths, "what are we doing? Shouldn't we go get Sonic? The real one, I mean."  
  
"I don't know where he is!" yelled Tails, "if we can just get to the containment chamber before…"  
  
Tails thrust himself through the double doors to the lab, shock overtaking him as his eyes fixed on the glass to the containment chamber.  
  
"Oh no…"  
  
"Oh yes, Tails," said Fake Sonic. Standing on the other side of the glass with his hand pressed up against it, the original doppelganger of Sonic had become solid. No longer a shambling liquid mess holding itself together through sheer malice, the perfect replica of Sonic grinned at Tails, his fur flashing between cobalt blue and burning yellow, his spines twitching slowly upwards. Slowly he moaned in ecstasy, closing his eyes and quivering.  
  
"Mmmmmmm, feels so good," he moaned, his grin growing wider, "I'm feeling so hot right now. Ooh, yeah, that's the good stuff. Gonna be ready to blow soon, Tails."  
  
"What's he doing?" asked Rouge.  
  
"He's trying to turn super," said Tails, rushing over to the chamber, "those other Sonics are feeding Chaos energy to him every time one of them dies."  
  
"Tails," said Knuckles, heading over to where Tails fiddled with a control panel, "if he's about to turn super we need to get out of here, now."  
  
"No!" cried Tails, "we have to stop this! Sonic needs me to stop this!" He began to frantically press buttons on the panel, "if I can just run a Chaos purge subroutine…"  
  
The screen set into the panel flashed with large red letters: PURGE SUBROUTINE LOCKED. AUTHORISATION: CMDR. RICHARD BAXTER.  
  
"No, no, no!" yelled Tails, banging his fist against the wall, "there must be a way! Maybe Dr. Samuels can-" Dark laughter began to ring out from inside the chamber.  
  
"You're too late…." said Fake Sonic, "I'm coming out to play, Tails! Sonic the Knockoff can't save you now! No-one is safe from my power!"  
  
The hedgehog inside the chamber glowed with blinding yellow light that burned Tails eyes to gaze upon it. His eyes crawled with shifting bloodshot veins, and flames licked along his fur. The light grew brighter, shifting from yellow to dazzling white and forcing Tails and the others to cover their eyes, the insides of their eyelids glowing red from the heat coursing over them. Steam billowed from the chamber window with a hiss, and the smell of burning glass filled Tails nostrils. As the light faded, Tails took his hand away, nearly dying of fright at what he saw.  
  
Super Sonic stood before him, but it was not the pure being of light he knew and worshipped. The creature standing within the gaping mouth of molten glass surged with untamed Chaos fire, his eyes swirled with crimson spirals, and inside his mouth savage sharp teeth glistened with saliva.  
  
"Yesssssssssss," he growled in a guttural voice, "are you ready for me, Tails? This is gonna be freakin' sweet. I can already see the fire, hear the screaming, and taste the blood. There's gonna be so, so much blood, and no-one… no-one can stop me!" His insane laughter erupted from a mouth full of shark's teeth. "The world is mine to do as I please! Just one question, though…"  
  
The trio of Mobians backed away from the fearsome creature, who fixed them with his demented stare.  
  
"Which one of you wants to die first?"  
  
~o~


	23. XXII – Burial

** XXII – Burial **

Under a cloudless sky, far from the turmoil of the city, an ancient forest slumbered by the sparkling clear waters of a vast lake. On a grassy hill overlooking the pristine mirror below, a single tree stood in splendid isolation. An old oak stretched its arms over the hillside, casting long shadows across the grass, swaying softly in the gentle wind with a rustle like soft whispering. All alone it stood; a sentinel watching over the verdant paradise for intruders.

But no-one ever came here, to this place of beauty. It lay too far from the safety of the beaten track, of the well-mapped trails, and that was precisely why he lay beneath the ancient snaking boughs, an entire world all to himself within the cool shadows.

Shadow sat cross-legged on the hillside, facing the trunk of the tree, lost within his own thoughts. He focused on a drawing scratched into the dark and ragged bark of the tree, its pale lines almost swallowed up by the expanding wood. An outside observer would assume a child had done it; the way the figures had sticks for arms and plain smiling circles for heads, but they would be able to guess what it was supposed to be; two hedgehogs, smiling and holding hands under an equally cheerful sun.

But they would be wrong. The drawing had been wrought by the black hedgehog sitting in front of it, and only one of the figures was a hedgehog; the other should have been human, but art wasn't his strong suit, and he doubted any Mobian knew how to draw a human properly; they were few and far between, and most had probably never even seen one up close. The 'sun' was nothing of the sort, but a space station adorned with a giant face; the ARK.

Staring at the scrawl he had made decades ago, Shadow sighed heavily to himself. He came to this place to be away from Sonic; not because he didn't want to be around him for a change, but because he couldn't focus clearly when that face was before him. That face, the one that made him want to punch it repeatedly and kiss it passionately in equal measure. The face that twisted his heart up in knots whenever any pain fell across it. The only face to appear behind his closed eyelids, save one other.

In his hands he held the old locket, its open lid revealing the smiling face of Maria.

"Hi Maria," he said quietly, "it's Shadow. How have you been? Things have been… strange for me recently. I think... I think I might be in love, Maria. Isn't that great?"

He stared at the faded picture for a few moments in silence, imagining what Maria's reaction might have been. Closing his eyes he pictured her sweeping her arms around him, praising him and kissing his forehead, then another scene; her meeting Sonic for the first time, the Hero of Mobius bowing and kissing her hand like she was a princess. What would she think of him? Would she approve?

Focusing intently on those azure eyes, a warm feeling began to rise in his heart. Sonic's love for life, his passion for freedom and his spirit that was truly free, the only burden he felt being his great love for the world, and his need to keep everyone safe. All the things she dreamed of; Maria would have worshipped the ground he walks on.

But there it was, the niggling feeling he couldn't escape. Sonic felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders every day, and the thought of failure burned him from the inside out. Shadow knew he could be the one to pick him up when everything got too much. But that same protective nature was what made him feel so conflicted; did he really love Sonic, or was it only Maria's legacy he loved?

Even the kisses he shared with Sonic couldn't soothe his turmoil. He would never have wanted to kiss Maria like that, but he was the only one who _could_ ; he had often shared a gentle kiss on the cheek or forehead during their time together, anyone else would have passed their own minor illnesses and bacteria onto her, and with her condition the infection would have been fatal. No, that was not enough to ease his mind.

There could be only one way to know for sure.

"Maria…" he whispered, his voice almost lost in the breeze. He closed the locket slowly, bringing it up to his lips and slowly kissing the tarnished metal, "I'm sorry."

Placing the locket down gently on the grass, he rose to his feet, stepping towards the tree. Slipping off his gloves, he dug his nails into the thick bark, and with a few stout tugs the rugged wood came away with a crack. In his hands he now held the crude drawing on a sheet of bark. Turning it over, he began to scratch something new into the smooth, pale underside.

When he had finished, he set the bark down next to the locket and kneeled in the soft grass. Around the base of the tree, where the grass gave way to bare earth, he began to dig. Slowly and methodically, clearing his mind of his reasoning and focusing only on the task at hand, he scooped up great clumps of dry soil and tossed them aside. After several minutes of digging he had carved out a hole about a foot square, and the same in depth.

He took the locket in his hands and held it above the hole. Gently, like lowering a baby into a crib he placed the tarnished pendant in the centre of the depression. Reaching into the pile of disturbed soil he prepared to let it slip through his fingers. He felt it creeping into him; the emotion he tried to conceal, the sadness he had denied himself for so long. With tears meandering along his muzzle he hesitated, flakes of soil dripping from his hand.

Reaching into the hole he flipped the locket open again, his breath catching in his chest when he saw her face again. Cautiously he lifted the rectangular keepsake from the hole, kissing it one more time.

On her lips.

Setting it back down, he closed his eyes as the soil slipped from his hand. Silently, with vision blurred by tears, he continued to shift the soil, not stopping until the grave he had dug had filled completely. He patted the soil as flat as he could manage, before turning to pick up the sheet of bark. Holding it in front of him, he sighed, his chest sinking as he read the words carved by his own hand:

**MARIA ROBOTNIK**

**1946 – 1958**

**SHE LOVED THIS WORLD**

Setting the wood into the dirt, Shadow sat back to admire his handiwork. But a part of him still didn't feel right; something was missing from the proceedings. A memory came to him; Maria used to tell him how on her home world, her people used to wish on a great spirit to care for people after they died. He had always thought the idea of an afterlife sounded ridiculous, but if it was human custom…

He knelt over the grave, closing his eyes and clasping his hands together.

"Umm… Dear Great Spirit," he said, trying to put his own incredulousness to one side, "I wish for you to take the soul of Maria and… look after her, make her happy… keep her safe. I promised to look after the world she loved for her… and I will. I've found someone to help me keep my promise… together we'll make this world right for her. Just… promise me you'll give her everything she missed out on in life."

He opened his eyes again. He honestly didn't know what he expected to happen, but he felt slightly better. But still the fullness of his pain would not release him, and he felt the weight of his final act bearing down on him.

Rising to his feet, he stared at the grave, completely losing his composure. The tears flowed hot and free, matting his fur and clouding his eyes. His sniffled and gasped with stilted breath, unable to keep his sorrow inside any longer. He knew what he had to do; the say the one thing he never got the chance to say.

"Sayonara… Maria Robotnik."

Under a cloudless sky, far from the turmoil of the city, by an ancient forest slumbering by the sparkling clear waters of a vast lake, Shadow the Hedgehog found for the first time in his life, he did not want to be alone.

~o~

* * *

The surface of the lake, clear and pristine, disturbed only by the gentle wind rippling along it, soothed his mind. He felt like he had awoken from a dream, but the dream had been his whole life up until that point. He didn't know where he would go from here; he supposed he should go back to Station Square, to GUN HQ. He still had a mystery villain to deal with.

A part of him wanted to keep running away. He wanted to tell himself that the mysterious robot puppet-master wasn't his problem; let Sonic deal with it, he thought. But he knew the real reason he hesitated; he feared to see Sonic again. Now that he had laid Maria to rest, so to speak, would he feel anything for the annoying blue pest? He feared seeing that face that once intrigued him so much and feeling nothing. If he could no longer love Sonic, would he feel anything when Sonic's heart broke?

"Shadow?" a voice rang out through the clear air. Turning around in surprise that anyone else could have come to his sanctuary, his surprise rose again when he saw who it was.

"Sonic?" he said in confusion. Before him stood the very same blue hedgehog who occupied all his thoughts. His quills swayed softly in the breeze, and the sunlight shone off his white teeth. Green eyes pierced into him, and he felt his heart rising.

There was no pain, there was only joy. Joy like he had never felt. Sprinting across the grass he swept the blue hedgehog up into his arms, squeezing him tightly as if to let his own joy wash over his partner.

"Easy there, Shads!" said Sonic, "I do need this spine, you know."

Shadow set him down, and stared into his counterpart's radiant emerald eyes. _He's so beautiful,_ Shadow thought, stopping himself a little; he had never thought of Sonic as _beautiful_ before. This had to be the first time he had admired Sonic's looks. An intense feeling rose within him, and he felt his whole body quivering, the feeling desperate to escape him.

"Oh, Sonic," Shadow said wistfully, "I love you."

"I love you too, Shadow."

Shadow couldn't help himself. He forced his lips upon Sonic, engaging him a kiss more passionate than any he had given before. This wasn't a kiss to escape, it was a kiss to enjoy; to surround himself in the love he felt and that of Sonic. But as their lips mingled and their tongues danced together, a strange feeling crept along his spine. The kiss felt too controlled, too monotonous. Sonic's kisses were sloppy and inexperienced, but they surged with an intense passion. This kiss was like making out with a piece of unbuttered toast. He pulled away, staring at the blue hedgehog in disgust.

"You… you're not Sonic!" he said.

"What?" said Sonic dismissively, "how do you figure that one?"

"That kiss… it didn't feel right."

"Really?" Sonic said, "that's all? Pull the other one, Shads"

"Sonic doesn't kiss like that," said Shadow, backing away from the blue hedgehog, "the way he kisses would be part of his muscle memory, something that wouldn't be in his memory at the time he was _copied._ You're one of them!"

"Shadow, c'mon…" said Sonic, stepping towards him. Shadow held his finger out accusingly.

"No!" he said, "I should have known. There's no way Sonic could have found me here. But you, whoever you are, you're watching us all the time. Give up the act!"

"Shadow, I'm not one of them…"

White gloves on peach arms seized Shadow's arms, pulling them backwards. More arms seized his legs and dragged them into the air. All around him more blue hedgehogs appeared in a flash of speed, advancing on him from all directions.

"I'm all of them!" said the fake Sonic, his sadistic smirk reappearing. Shadow struggled against his captors, but they surrounded him, holding every part of him down. He could feel his energy leaving him again, like it had done in the Cybernian woods, and his Chaos powers fizzled to nothing inside him.

"It's so wonderful that you've found love, Shadow," the fake Sonic sneered, "it'll make you so much easier to break."

"Stop hiding from us!" spat Shadow, "you want to break me, do it in person!"

"Oh, I will, Shadow," said the doppelganger, holding Shadow's chin and grinning right in his face, "you're coming to meet me."

"Good, at least I get to finally find out who you are."

"Hmm, you won't be disappointed."

A dazzling aura of blue surrounded them, and in a flash the hillside laid undisturbed once more, the old oak tree left to its solitude.

~o~

* * *

They thought they were so clever, putting a blindfold on him. But he didn't need sight to tell where they had taken him; his senses were too heightened to let simple blindness fool him. He could practically smell the stone around him as they dragged him along the hall.

It made sense that they would bring him here, back to the old temple. Back when he had thought Robotnik to be the mastermind behind the doppelgangers, he couldn't wait to leave this place of faded memory, but now all the pieces were coming together; the temple, the voice, the sound of metal scraping. He knew who had been playing them all along, and he would show them no mercy.

The blindfold came away, and he saw a small room almost completely shrouded in darkness, save for the blue light glowing from the bank of flickering screens that lent the room an eerie vibe. A low hum reverberated throughout the chamber, punctuated by gentle beeps and whirrs, and atop a small flight of stone steps, a dark shape indistinct in outline, lay silhouetted against the stale electronic light.

"You had to escape my trap, didn't you?" a voice issued forth from the pitch-black shape, "You had to rush things. I had everything planned out so perfectly."

"You'll find that ruining evil plans is what we do, jerkass," said Shadow. Were it not for the Sonic robots holding him back, draining him and leaving him helpless, he would have leapt onto that dais and seized this guy by the throat. Instead, he received a dark laugh.

"We?" said the robotic voice, "I see none of your friends here. But then, do you even have friends?"

"More than you, I'd wager," spat Shadow, "all you have is your puppets. You're alone."

"Oh, very good," said the shrouded figure, a metallic clapping ringing out from the darkness, "I like your attempt to undermine my confidence, but it won't work. You see, someone like me doesn't enjoy the company of cretins and fools, with all their emotional baggage and selfish desires. My creations are all I need."

"Enough grandstanding!" said Shadow, "why are you so obsessed with Sonic?" This was the crux of the matter. The hidden foe had hounded Sonic mercilessly, trying to break his spirit, and if Shadow knew one thing for certain, it was this; he would not let anyone harm Sonic, _his_ Sonic, his cherished friend, even if had only recently discovered the way he truly felt. He feared the danger he may have left Sonic to face, but if he hadn't left, would he feel strongly enough to worry about him?

"I could ask you the same thing."

Up on the dais, the dark rectangle shifted as if it was turning, and Shadow figured it to be some kind of chair. The overpowering darkness prevented him from seeing the seated figure, but two red eyes shone from the blackness around them. With a hollow clang the figure rose to his feet, making his way down the steps.

"You used to hate that hedgehog, Shadow," he said, slowly approaching, "you used to call him your 'fake' and fight him at every opportunity that came your way, but now look at you; Weeping and simpering over him like a lovesick schoolgirl. You don't deserve the title of 'Ultimate Lifeform.' How _dare_ you claim it for yourself."

"I didn't 'hate' Sonic," said Shadow, seething at someone else trying to tell him his own mind, "we just… took a while to find some common ground. But you still haven't answered my question; why do _you_ hate Sonic so much? Who are you?" The silhouette drew closer to him, and the outline became clearer, the crimson eyes piercing into him. Shadow was certain he knew the answer already, that silhouette could belong to one person only.

"Since the moment of my birth I longed to destroy Sonic," said the dark shape, "but as I studied him, I realised death would be not be enough for him. No matter what I could do, he would die a hero, loved by all and confident in the nobility of his sacrifice. I had to destroy his mind, his reputation, his very spirit, until he became a wretched thing begging for the sweet embrace of death."

"You've failed on all counts, moron," snarled Shadow, "Sonic is as strong as he ever was."

"Is he? Are you sure about that? Who knows what horrors he's facing right now?"

Shadow had to admit to himself that he didn't feel so sure. The horrible things Sonic had to deal with lately, could he really cope without Shadow around to look after him, to give him strength? He fixed the shape in its cold, red eyes with a crimson glare of his own.

"Yes," he said, concealing any sign of doubt, "I am. No-one is stronger than Sonic."

" _You_ are!" the figure yelled, striking him across the face with a heavy and cold metal hand. As he felt warm blood trickle from his mouth, Shadow began to laugh.

"Heh, touched a nerve, did I?" he sneered, "enough of the mood lighting. I know who you are, so why don't you show yourself, Metal Sonic!"

The figure clicked his steel fingers, and a pale yellow light flicked on above him. Shadow's eyes widened as the robot before him came into focus. Particularly the colours adorning its casing:

Black and red.

"My _name…_ " it said, "is Shadow!"

~o~


	24. XXIII - Code Black

** XXIII - Code Black **

This wasn't fair. There was no way he could face this. Why did it have to look like _him_? Why did the thing he feared the most take the form of the only one who could ease his terror?

The cognitive dissonance within him strangled his guts and tore at his mind. Before him a twisted mockery of his best friend laughed with sadistic glee, and the glow of fire emanated from inside that gaping predatory mouth. Tails had never felt so powerless; he felt like dying, wanting to lie on the floor sucking his thumb and let the flames wash over him. His vision grew dark as something came between him and the burning light of Super Sonic. Something red. Time slowed to a crawl as he watched Knuckles approach the fiend.

"I'm taking you down, monster!" said the red echidna, raising his fist to strike.

"Knuckles, don't!"

"Oh very good, Knuckles," said Super Sonic, clapping his hands slowly, "people must think you're so noble, so brave..."

Tails didn't even see the yellow hedgehog move. There was a flash of light, and all that followed was a heavy crash as Knuckles head impacted the nearby desk, smashing it to pieces and sending him tumbling to the floor, holding his head.

"But I know you're just stupid," continued Super, "still, at least you saved your friends the trouble of deciding. It's time to die, Knucklehead!" No more laughter, instead only a face that burned with anger. He held his hand up, ragged fingers splayed and curled like a hunting cat waiting to strike, fire dancing along the matted surface of his glove.

"Wait!" cried Tails, "not like this! Killing him this way would be too easy. It wouldn't be any fun for you. Let us give you a challenge." Super Sonic took his eyes off Knuckles, fixing Tails with that burning gaze, before breaking out into a wicked smile.

"You're right, fox boy," he said, lowering his hand, "how about I give you a little head start instead? I want you to think you have a chance of outrunning me, and when just when you're about to escape, I'll find you and tear you limb from limb. So go on, run away, run from the big scary monster."

Knuckles rose to his feet, joining the others. His face was covered in cuts and bruises, and he panted heavily, but otherwise he tried to keep his composure. The three Mobians hesitated, unsure whether running would do them any good.

"Are you deaf?" said Super Sonic, "I said... RUN!"

He threw back his head, and from his dragon mouth a savage roar emerged, like a legion of damned souls writhing in agony, while around him the air surged with heat. The floor began to blacken in an ever-increasing circle, glass and metal melting and electronic equipment exploding as the fire consumed everything around it.

Tails turned to run, but before he could take a step he was lifted off the floor, whisked away by Knuckles. As they passed through the lab doors he caught one final glimpse of the inferno raging around the yellow hedgehog. Once in the corridor, Rouge slammed her hand onto a large red button, lowering a metal plate across the door with a heavy clang. The muffled sounds of the devastation within still caught their ears.

"That won't stop him!" said Tails as Knuckles lowered him to the floor.

"I know," said Rouge, panting, "but it might slow him down a bit. Right now we need to find a way out of here."

"We can't go out the front," said Tails, "the ground floor's crawling with Chaos Robots." Rouge pondered for a moment.

"We go back to the fifth floor," she said, "where we found you before. We can fly, and in Knuckles' case, glide from the broken windows."

"What about Sonic?"

"Sonic's not here, Tails!" she snapped, surprising him, "he's run away from his problems, just like Shadow! Forget about him!"

"You can't ask me to just forget about my best friend, Rouge."

"Why not? It's what I've had to do."

The realisation cooled Tails anger; He knew how much Rouge cared for Shadow, and how hard the whole situation must have been on her. But she was a trained professional; he was just an exceptionally smart little kid who needed his family.

But before he could say anymore, the sound of boots thundering along the corridor all around them made him look up. From either side of the corridor, GUN soldiers charged towards them, kitted out with assault rifles and body armour.

"What's going on here?" their leader, a border collie, shouted, "we got a report of a containment breach."

"You're damn right there's been a breach!" yelled Rouge, "Captain, call a Code Black immediately."

"Code Black?" he said incredulously, "Agent Rouge, are you serious?"

"I wish I wasn't, Captain. We have a Chaos entity of the highest threat level trying to escape that room. This is an imminent global threat; if it gets free, Mobius can kiss its ass goodbye."

As if in answer to her statement, the thick metal door beside them began to glow orange, billowing with steam as the metal began to hiss and warp into burning liquid. The Captain glanced at it in alarm, before giving Rouge a solemn look, and Tails could practically hear the lump rise in his throat.

"Code Black," he said into the radio attached to his strap, "I repeat, Code Black. All available personnel to establish a perimeter around the main Chaos Analysis Lab immediately."

He stared into the distance in contemplation, before focusing on Rouge and nodding sternly. Tails had never seen a look like that before, and he hoped to never see one like it again; the look of a man who knew his mission would not be one that he would return from.

"We have our orders," he said in a reserved tone, "you three clear the area. We'll take it from here."

"Wait, you can't-" pleaded Tails, but Knuckles swept him off his feet again, pushing past the soldiers forming a barrier and readying their rifles. Over Knuckles shoulder Tails could see the blast door beginning to glow white hot, and he knew it would be mere moments before Super Sonic emerged.

"We can't leave them!" cried Tails, "they don't stand a chance!"

"They have a job to do, Tails!" said Rouge, "you can't save everybody all of the time."

He began to scream, tears flooding from his eyes pounding his fists ineffectively against Knuckles' back. Sonic wouldn't leave someone to certain death; he would fight to the bitter end before he let someone die on his watch.

"Take me back!" he wailed, "I can't just give up! I have to save them!"

The sound of gunfire echoed along the corridor. For what seemed like forever the deafening noise rattled through the walls, before another sound crept in underneath it.

The sound of screaming.

Tails folded his ears down to drown out the terrible sound, but it still forced its way through. The sound of a man crying out in terror before being silenced, then another and another, all the while the gunfire rapidly diminishing, before a final gunshot rang out, leaving only silence.

Tails could cry no more, only hang limply onto Knuckles shoulder and stare in horror into the distance. Knuckles and Rouge fell silent, and no more words passed between them as they entered the stairwell. Tails' knew what it would take to stop Super Sonic, the only thing they didn't have.

They needed Sonic. No-one else would save them now.

~o~

* * *

He awoke.

Where was he?

He lay on a cold metal slab in a darkened room, and above him strange instruments looked poised to cut him open.

Was he in a morgue? Had he been dead?

He remembered his name had been Shadow the Hedgehog, except it hadn't. His memories of a previous life persisted, but he knew them to be a lie; nothing but lines of code feeding him a fantasy of someone else's design. Yet he had still felt them, hadn't he? Did that make them any less real?

Sitting up he surveyed the room around him. Not a morgue, more like an operating theatre. Another table stood next to his, but it lay empty. As he glanced around the room, his eyes caught sight of a gaping twisted hole in the wall. Creeping over to the melted aperture, he found a large square room filled with melted broken metal, every surface blackened by creeping fires which still clung to life. At the end of this room another twisted yawning hole waited for him.

Cautiously he crept along the smouldering floor and approached the second aperture, this time emerging into a corridor stretching left to right either side of him. The stench overwhelmed him immediately, and his heart sank when he saw what was there.

Blood. The pristine white walls and floors were splattered with the crimson paint, dripping from the ceiling and staining his fur. Around him he saw countless strange smouldering lumps of red and black, the remains of something, or someone.

He knew who had done this. Before the Chaos energy flooding the chamber awoke him, he saw him in his mind, the cackling, psychotic figure who he once loved. In the midst of the carnage, a black and red hedgehog that used to think it was Shadow sighed in resignation.

"Oh, my poor Sonic," he said to the empty corridor, "what have you become?"

~o~

* * *

Up the stairs they sprinted, Knuckles leaping up three steps at a time with the little fox slung over his shoulder, and the bat following close behind. Pushing through a door marked with a number five, they turned and headed along a corridor. All around them the muffled sounds of gunfire, breaking glass and screams carried through the floors below, hastening their flight.

They made their way into the corridor with the windows, where bright sunlight and a cool breeze streamed through the shattered panes, and deactivated robots lay scattered across the floor in heaps.

"Okay, everybody," said Rouge, "this is it. Let's get out to the landing pad and hitch a ride on one of those jets. We'll set a course for GUN's nearest outpost, radio in and co-ordinate a counterattack."

She leapt through the opening and began to flutter downwards. Knuckles set Tails to the floor and clambered into the frame.

"Come on, Tails, let's blow this joint!" he said, before turning and leaping into the clear blue sky. Tails hesitated, reluctant to abandon the fight, but he sighed, knowing there was nothing he could do. He span up his namesakes, ready to soar through the window.

Something grabbed his tail from behind, pulling him backwards and throwing him off balance. A ragged grey furred arm seized around his neck, and he heard a clicking sound as the cold barrel of a pistol was pressed to his temple.

"Trying to run away, are you, Prower?" said Baxter, "leaving us to clean up the mess you caused, are you? I'll make sure history remembers your name when they think of the slaughter that happened here."

"Baxter?" said Tails, freezing in place in fear of the gun, "how did you escape the holding cells?"

"I was able to give my 'minders' the slip, thanks to the commotion going on around here, but I didn't want to leave, not while I still had a chance to make you pay for what you and your friends did to me."

"Let me go! We didn't want any of this to happen to you."

"Oh really?" snarled Baxter through gritted teeth, pressing the gun so hard into Tails temple it hurt, "before you waltzed into my office, I was on my way up, I could have been looking at a cushy position in Empire City instead of languishing in this shithole of a city. That was before you and your friends brought this insanity upon us. Well now I'm going to make you pay, Prower. I'll show you just how much of a _bad man_ I can be."

"Baxter, you don't understand..."

With a roar and rush of heat the corridor filled with burning light. As the light faded so did Tails' fear of Baxter's gun, for at the end of the corridor stood Super Sonic, grinning like the maniac he was.

"Found you, Tails," he said, "hide-and-seek time is over."

"What the fuck is that?!" yelled Baxter. Super Sonic said nothing, but began to slowly walk towards them, burning footsteps into the floor, his face unchanging as he marched. Tails heart pounded in his chest; he never thought the sight of Sonic moving slowly could be so terrifying.

"Sonic?" said Baxter, backing slowly away from him, "if that is you, then stay back! Stay back or I shoot him!"

"Oh no," said Super Sonic in a mocking tone, "Don't kill him, _please_. You'll make me _so_ upset... upset that I couldn't do it myself."

"Stay back!" said Baxter, panic overtaking him, "Stay back, I order you to… get away from me!"

Super Sonic was almost upon him, and Baxter raised his gun, pointing it at Super Sonic's face. Seconds later a deafening crack rang through the corridor. A flash of light blinded Tails, but Super Sonic's arm instantly rose in front of his face, his index finger and thumb pinched together.

Between them he held the bullet, unfazed by the friction burn smouldering against his gloves.

"What... what are you?!" cried Baxter.

Super Sonic dropped the bullet, fixing Baxter with a glare that burned with hatred. He raised his hand to the gun, gripping it by the barrel. The metal began to glow, first orange then yellow then white, melting and shifting under the raging fires. Baxter screamed in pain as the fire quickly spread to his hand, collapsing to his knees and allowing Tails to slip free of his grip.

Tails couldn't reach the window; Super Sonic had pushed them too far along the corridor and now blocked his escape. Spinning around, he bolted for the door behind him. He took one last look behind him; Baxter knelt hunched over, writhing in agony as the flames swept along his arm, and Super Sonic's scowl slowly spread into a sharp-tooth smile

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry, I… I can't save you," he said, before leaving in terrified haste. As he ran he heard the last moments of Richard Baxter chase him down the corridor, accompanied by the dreadful laughter of the monster behind him. He folded his ears down again, to no avail.

He would never be able to unhear that sound.

~o~

* * *

The world span around his head, and he staggered along the gleaming corridor that seemed to stretch on forever and then some, the door at the end rapidly escaping from him. Intoxicated by fear, he collided with the walls, which lurched towards him in his mind, pushing back against him. His fur was matted and damp with sweat, and his crotch reeked of stale urine from where fear had overridden his bladder control.

He dared not look back, lest he see that awful smiling face, those eyes filled with insanity and that salivating predator's mouth. Better to be taken suddenly and without foreknowledge, than have that face be the last thing he sees.

The doors were suddenly upon him, and he toppled through, the weight of his head dragging him down to the polished floor below. As it impacted with his skull, the world came into sharp relief. Lifting his head, Tails saw he had traded one nightmare for another.

Bodies covered every scrap of that shining marble floor. Most were of the spindly silver robots lying in contorted heaps, but here and there he saw the prone figure of a Mobian, their guns lying spent by their sides, and against a pillar the rat who had escorted him from the lobby lay slumped, his eyes staring into nothingness. The pristine facades of the pillars were riddled with cracks and bullet holes, the sculptures smashed to pieces and the furniture in splinters. Among this havoc several figures moved about, surveying the dead.

All of them were Sonic.

Some merely stood motionless, admiring the scene of their victory, while others prowled about looking for more prey. In the corner, a still living soldier cried out in pain, lying on the floor as several Sonics repeatedly kicked him, laughing as they did so. It had been no surprise to see the soldiers had been overrun; once Super Sonic had been unleashed, the robots must have shown how fast they could _really_ move.

With the noise of his entry, they all simultaneously fixed their eyes upon him, and began to march towards him, still wearing that awful grin. The soldier clambered to his feet and fled from the room babbling in panic, not even noticing the fox lying there. Tails screamed, holding his face against the floor, hoping, praying that he would wake up in his bed with the real Sonic there to comfort him.

A low rumble like an earthquake shook the lobby, and Tails couldn't help but look up. The rear wall of the lobby came away in an avalanche of plaster, bricks and twisted metal, cascading across the floor and forcing Tails to leap to his feet and hide in front of the still standing reception desk. He held his head in his hands as the debris crashed all around him, sending the Sonics scattering for cover.

Above him, streaking across the vaulted ceiling of the room in a blaze of fire, Super Sonic flew through the air, a comet of insanity in the solar system of Tails mind. He span around to face Tails, the spirals of his eyes twisting the little fox further into despair. Below him, the Sonics looked up with awe and wonder. Blue energy began to seep out of them, rapidly ascending upwards, and they collapsed in a flash of blue to join their fallen comrades.

"More!" said Super Sonic, laughing maniacally as the blue energy was sucked inside him, "I must have more power!"

With a flash and a movement too fast to see he crashed to the floor in a column of fire, cracking the marble from the force of his impact. He was upon Tails, seizing his wrists with a devastating strength, and Tails could only wail with fear as the flames burned his fur.

"Do you know something about Chaos energy, Tails?" said the fiend, his razor teeth glistening with saliva, "you can use it to keep someone alive and conscious, even when their bodies are long past the point of death. That means I can keep you feeling every part of the agony I can inflict on you. I'll make sure you die as slowly and as painfully as possible, _little buddy_!"

Tails reeled from the pain creeping along his arms, but fear paralysed his whole body, and he could not tear his eyes away from the swirling crimson spirals growing ever larger as Super Sonic leered over him, his lolling tongue dripping, his face a twisted picture of the sick pleasure he got from inflicting pain on another living being. Only one thought occupied the little fox's terrified mind:

How could Sonic have left him to deal with this alone?

~o~

* * *

Specks of warm rain danced against his fur, and the musty smell of dampened foliage filled his nostrils. Slowly he peeled open his eyelids to a dim gloom.

_I must have nodded off_ , thought Sonic, _how long was I out for?_

Sonic had been so tired; he hadn't gotten a good night's sleep since this whole crazy business started. He'd slept on a hard stone floor, a rickety old couch in a freezing cabin, and now he awoke from having perched on a toilet lid, resting his head against the stall wall. If he counted all the times he had blacked out recently, then he could add icy woodlands and Shadow's strangely comfortable lap to the mix.

Something seemed odd to him about the bathroom, but in his groggy half-waking he couldn't put his finger on it. It seemed a lot darker, so maybe there had been a power cut, but there was something else, something obvious he was missing.

Don't bathrooms usually have a ceiling?

The sky above him lit up with a flash, and a crash of thunder hammered all around him, jolting him into full alertness. Leaping from his seat he glanced around, he could clearly see that he was inside a bathroom stall; it was just the rest of the bathroom that was missing. He dashed to the door, throwing the bolt aside and swinging it open and leaping through.

The next moment he found himself face down in warm, soggy mud.

"Ugh! Come on!" he said as he spat globs of the stuff from his mouth, "what the heck, man?"

Wiping the brown liquid from his eyes, he tried to see where he was, but darkness swam all around him. Rising to his feet he peered back through the gloom to see where he had come from.

The bathroom stall stood in isolation, perched on a large chunk of the polished floor he had so admired. Broken pipes jutted out from the concrete underside, and half of another commode balanced precariously on the edge. As unusual as the sight of part of a public restroom sitting in a muddy field was, he found it stranger that the piece of floor formed a perfect circle, like the whole thing had been sliced away by a giant pair of compasses.

Scratching his head, Sonic glanced around, trying to find some clue as to where he was. Another flash of lightning shot out from the sky, and Sonic's heart stopped a moment; behind the stall, a gigantic shadow loomed high into the dark sky, visible only by the brief white flash. There was another bright surge of light, stronger than the first, enough to illuminate what lay in that dark space.

Carved stone steps covered in moss. Grotesque faces of Mobians leering out at him. An entrance like a gaping mouth awaiting its victim. A monstrous ziggurat dominating the skyline.

Sonic took a step back, his heart thundering in his ears louder than the storm and his breath leaving him.

"Ohhhh, that... cannot be good."

~o~


	25. XXIV – The Crimson Heart of Darkness

**XXIV – The Crimson Heart of Darkness**

Sonic the Hedgehog did not believe in fate. In fact, he would say he detested the idea. It didn't matter where it came from, whether some kind of deity, mystical force, or twisted robot puppet-master, the idea that something could plan out and control his whole life made him sick. Freedom was his mantra, he flew by the seat of his non-existent pants, loving the freedom to drop everything and change course whenever he pleased. Gods and monsters could try all they like; they would not make him dance to their tune.

But Sonic also didn't believe in coincidence. He was aware of the irony, but when so many gods, monsters and villains were actively trying to interfere with his life, he couldn't dismiss anything strange he encountered as pure chance.

As he made his way through the crushing darkness of the stone corridor, illuminated in blue from the glowing orb in his hand, he found himself thinking about coincidence and fate. Somehow, he had ended up at the temple where this whole mess had started, seeing no other choice but to explore it again.

He wondered how he had even ended up here. He was with Shadow, making out in the bathroom of GUN HQ, and then he woke up in the middle of a rainforest. Had he teleported himself, bathroom and all? And where did Shadow come from? Where did he go? The dark hedgehog had disappeared to spend some time alone, but suddenly there he was getting freaky with him in a toilet stall. No logical connection could be found between the sequence of events, and he scratched his head in frustration, nothing about the past few hours made any sense to him.

A niggling thought teased at him as he thought about his love; every time he had the opportunity to get back to Tails, something would happen to split them apart, and thrust him closer to Shadow. In this temple, moments after a stone door separated him from Tails, he ran into Shadow, starting him on the road to friendship and love with the dark hedgehog. When he re-united with Tails in Station Square, GUN chased them away; with Shadow teleporting them to Cybernia, and now once more, something happened with Shadow and separated him from Tails.

The notion scared him somewhat; was Shadow manipulating him, driving him away from Tails and into his arms? Could Shadow be _jealous_ of his love for Tails? Was the Shadow he loved even real, or just another of those doppelgangers?

He shook his head in frustration, slapping his own wrist. He knew he was being paranoid and cynical, but with all the crazy stunts this villain had pulled, he felt he had a right to be.

He continued to plod along the endless corridor, admiring the murals and carvings lit up in shining cobalt by his in-built torch. He had no idea where he was going, or what he was even looking for, but he still felt like something was drawing him in, calling him further and further into this dark place.

The light in his hand began to flicker, before dissipating completely, leaving him in a void of blackness.

"Oh, come on!" he moaned, "what, are my batteries running flat or something?"

He tried to summon the orb again, focusing intently on making it appear in his hand. But rather than feeling the tingle rushing along his arm, he felt it all over. The energy was seeping out of his pores.

"I need a chilli dog," he sighed, flicking his fingers open like he was trying to light a cigarette, "c'mon, work already!"

The blue light returned, and Sonic breathed a sigh of relief, the cobalt glow a comforting flame in the perpetual blackness. His eyes fell upon something in front of him; something tall, lean and furry. Looking lifting his head up, his blue light flashed against two pinpricks of emerald green piercing into him.

"Definitely not a coincidence," said Sonic.

Without a moment's delay he struck the doppelganger across the temple with a left hook, sending him reeling. Spinning around Sonic saw another Sonic lurking just behind him. He let his fist fly, but the grinning copy caught his fist, crushing it within his own glove. Sonic brought his leg up in a blur, driving his shin into the copy's crotch. His foe winced and gasped for breath, and Sonic winced alongside him at the thought of kicking oneself in the 'nads.

Everywhere he turned more Sonics emerged from the darkness. He fought them back with a whirling hurricane of kicks and punches, but they matched his speed, and moments later they seized hold of his arms, lifting him off the floor.

"Aargh!" he shouted, flailing his legs and pushing several of the copies backwards, "how many of you jerkwads do I have to kill?"

Gloved hands gripped his wildly contorting legs, holding them apart. Another hedgehog approached him, thrusting a black cloth into his mouth and wrapping it around the back of his head. His arms were pulled back, stretching his shoulders out, and he felt a rope or something similar being tied around his wrists. His legs were pulled back in the same fashion, and his ankles tied. The copies thrust him onto their shoulders and began to march through the darkness, all the while Sonic squirmed against his bindings, burning inside with anger.

_Let me go, you assholes!_ he thought.

"reh ee guh, oo asshoshh!" is how it came out. Sonic screamed with muffled fury through the tight cloth, his whole body shaking with rage. He despised being tied up or restrained in any way, and he pushed so hard against the ropes that his muscles burned, and the heat of his resistance set his face alight.

"I gih oo! I gih or oh oo!" he shrieked, blinded by anger and unable to comprehend his threat of mass homicide falling flat. The doppelgangers continued unabated, hauling him through pitch-back corridors at a frightening pace. After more minutes of futile resistance, a self-satisfied hiss passed his ears, and the doppelgangers threw him against a cold metal floor, where he continued to wriggle like an unearthed worm.

Above him in the darkness, two points of red shone through the void. Sonic froze in his squirming; he recognised those eyes. The same hollow and soulless eyes that had haunted him in Cybernia now had him at their mercy. A clicking sound, and a pale yellow light springing to life, illuminated the room and the figure standing over him.

Were it not for those eyes, he would have thought that Shadow stood over him, which would have confirmed his paranoia in the worst way. But it was not the soft welcoming fur of his love that greeted him, only sharp, aggressive metal plating. The thing had the same body shape as Shadow, including the upturned spines, and its paint job; black with red stripes, served as an exact replica of the Ultimate Lifeform, but instead of Shadow's natural curves, harsh angles and straight edges defined it. With claw-like silver hands it reached down to lift Sonic from the floor, holding him up by his armpits and studying him. It had no mouth, but across its silver muzzle Sonic thought he could see one smirking with curiosity.

"It really is you…" it said, with a dark sultry voice sounding like Shadow inside a tin can, "this is most fortuitous. I was going to devise a way to lure you here if you survived my latest attack, but you had the good manners to save me the trouble."

"Oo geh fug ar oo?" said Sonic, still trying to kick his legs out.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" said the Shadow-bot, "I don't speak moron." Laughing, he set Sonic to the floor, forcing him to his knees. His claws sliced through the black cloth, and Sonic gasped as the tension around his jaw released.

"I said," he panted, "who the fu… who are you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" said the figure, "I am Shadow. Metal Shadow if you want to split quills. I know who you are already, of course, but I'm surprised to see the great Sonic the Hedgehog running away from a fight."

"What?!" said Sonic, "I didn't run away, you brought me here!"

"Why would I do such a thing? I wanted you to stay at GUN HQ to bear witness to your failure; to watch everyone you love die slowly and painfully. But I suppose I can always show you the fox boy's remains, if there's anything left of him."

"You're lying!" spat Sonic, "You're just trying to psych me out, but why should I believe you? You're just another one of Eggman's creations."

"It pains me to know that fat oaf is responsible for my glorious existence," said Metal Shadow, pacing around the circular room lined with control panels. Behind him, Sonic could see a chair mounted at the top of a small fight of steps, and a bank of screens against the wall. "He didn't realise what he would unleash by activating me. My genius surpasses his feeble mind; yours is barely a speck before my intellect."

"Okay, so we've established that you're an egotistical jackass," said Sonic, smirking, "that's good that you can be so open and honest. Why don't you tell the group about being a freakin' loon as well?" Metal Shadow fixed him with a glare; although it was hard for Sonic to tell, what with his metal foe's permanent unmoving expression.

"Everything's a joke to you isn't it Sonic? A pathetic attempt at using humour to mask your fear. I've shown you just how fragile that mask can be."

"Now who's the comedian?" said Sonic, his grinning face still holding, "I beat all your traps and tricks, and I'm no worse off for it. I'm not going to break for you." Metal Shadow marched towards him, his replica air-skates clanging along the floor. He took Sonic's chin in his cold, jutting hand and stared into his eyes, his own crimson lights piercing into the blue hedgehog.

"You _will,_ " he growled, "I can assure you of that, Sonic. I'm just getting started."

"Blah blah blah," said Sonic, rolling his eyes, "I've heard this all before, pal. Do you know how many wannabe villains have tried to beat me and failed? You're just another Badnik waiting to be added to the scrapheap!"

Metal Shadow said nothing, slowly walking up the steps and sliding into the wingback chair, forming a pyramid with his fingertips. The chair, obviously made for someone twice his size, towered over him, lending him the appearance of a callous monarch lazily presiding over his court. Sonic didn't doubt this was the appearance the metal monster was aiming for.

"I'm going to bleed that arrogance from you, Sonic," he said, "through your blood, sweat and tears, until you are nothing but an empty shell. You brought this punishment on yourself."

"I'd like to know how you figure that one out," said Sonic, "what the heck have you been trying to pull?" He hoped to keep his foe talking while he figured a way out of his bindings. Behind his back he tried to wrap his fingers around to loosen the ropes, but the angle proved too difficult to reach.

"I had everything planned out," said Metal Shadow, and Sonic smirked to himself; villains were so easy to goad into a monologue, "my copies of you would destroy your reputation in the eyes of Mobius. Over time you would have been seen to be lying, cheating, stealing, and violently attacking people who offended you in the slightest. Your acts would become more and more heinous until you drove away everyone who ever cared for you, culminating in the unforgivable slaughter of a major population centre."

"Then what?"

"Then? Then I would recall my copies, and set you free. You would have to deal with being hated by everyone you ever loved; hunted to the point of exhaustion, until you either took your own life or became a vengeful murderer. Either way, to see your mind snap would have brought me..." he made a sound like he was inhaling a pleasant aroma, and he squirmed in his seat, " _untold_ pleasure."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're really quite creepy?" said Sonic. Metal Shadow continued unabated.

"But then you escaped my inescapable trap, and I had to accelerate my plans, bring the attack forward before the truth could be exposed. A setback for me; the people of Mobius hated you as intended, but alas, you still had the trust and support of your friends. I crawled away to lick my wounds, trying to discover how you escaped my trap, when what should I stumble across, but _this_?"

He reached into a compartment in the console behind him and pulled something out. Rising to his feet he strode triumphantly across the room, holding the object closer so Sonic could see.

The charred silver block resembled a military belt buckle with vents inserted into it. A tangle of multi-coloured wires snaked from each side of it, wrapping themselves around a black circular plastic cap. Sonic's heart sank; he knew what this device was.

"The Chaos Energy Redistribution Matrix..." he sighed.

"Well done, Sonic!" Metal Shadow said, tugging on Sonic's cheek like he was a toddler, "you learned a big word today!" Sonic's face blazed with anger, but he couldn't force the expletives out of his clenched teeth.

"This device really is a marvel of engineering," continued Metal Shadow, "you were fools to leave it behind. One could re-write the book on physics with all the things it can do. This is just your crude first attempt, built in a cell, with a box of scraps, but since then I have perfected the design."

He clicked his fingers, and a panel in the wall slid open with a hiss. Orange light began to flood the chamber, dancing off every surface, shifting from pure amber rays to cloudy alien blues, moving across Sonic's eyes as if it were alive. Sonic's breath caught in his chest; within the cavity of wires and flashing lights, the pristine beauty of the Chaos Emerald lay ensnared by a tangle of wires that surged with power, pulsating like veins. On the very top of the jewel, the familiar shape of the Redistribution Matrix gripped tightly to it, and a sickly, hungry orange glow surrounded it.

"So it's true…" said Sonic, restraining his awe, "you _do_ have the Chaos Emeralds." Sonic pondered to himself; was the Emerald the thing that called out to him, that had drawn him back to this place? Metal Shadow turned to face him, somehow appearing smug despite his static face.

"I don't have _all_ the Emeralds," he said, "hunting them down is too much of a chore, and I only need this one. The Matrix unlocks the full potential of these gems; with just one I can command almost unlimited power, enough to command a legion of Chaos-powered slaves, and manipulate Chaos Energy wherever I choose."

"If you're so powerful, why haven't you conquered the world already?"

Metal Shadow threw back his head and laughed, the synthetic mirth ringing through the small room.

"I don't want the world, you idiot!" he sneered, "its time will come eventually. What I want most is to have you lying at my feet, a hollow husk of yourself, with no will other than that which I impose upon you. You will long for death but be too exhausted to end it all. It shall be..." the unsettling inhaling again, "magnificent."

"Why?" said Sonic, "what reason could you possibly have to go to so much effort just to get to me? What did I ever do to you?"

Metal Shadow closed the Emerald hatch, and the room fell dark again. The robot hedgehog took his seat upon his self-made throne, sitting in silence for an interminable length of time.

"I was _born_ to hate you, Sonic," he said, breaking the stillness, "My only longing is to see you suffer, to make every aspect of your life an unbearable torment. This is my purpose, and it shall be fulfilled."

"You won't break me!" Sonic snapped, growing tired of the villainous rambling, "I'll never surrender!"

Metal Shadow snapped his fingers again, and a door to Sonic's left slid open. Two doppelgangers came through the opening, dragging a black and red hedgehog by his arms. With no gloves or shoes on, the hedgehog laid completely limp, his head hanging down and his legs dragging along the floor. The copies threw him against the smooth metal, where he lay sprawled out with his eyes closed, panting heavily, his nudity blanketing him with vulnerability.

"Sh-Shadow?" Sonic cried, his voice cracking. He shuffled his knees across the floor to get closer to his prone lover. He felt all his fear and worry from the past few days rushing back into him, and as he gazed at the pathetic figure laid out before him he could practically hear his bravery deserting him.

"What have you done to him?!" he yelled, staring daggers into Metal Shadow.

"I haven't done anything," said the black robot, feigning innocence, "the question is, what have _you_ done to him?"

Sonic looked up at the copies standing over him, catching sight of their wicked grins, and he realised the awful truth.

"Oh no..." Sonic whispered, "Shadow, I'm so sorry."

"He held out for quite a long time," said Metal Shadow, "one can put on a brave face while enduring terrible torture, but when it's seemingly someone you love performing unspeakable acts upon you, laughing as they do so? Even for one as strong as him it proved too much. How long do you think you'll survive, if I can break the Ultimate Lifeform so easily?"

Sonic edged over to Shadow, leaning down to whisper to him.

"Shadow... Shadow, it's me, Sonic. I… I need your help, buddy. I'm in trouble, and I can't get through it without you by my side. Will you protect me? Please, Shadow? I need you. I _need_ you."

Shadow continued to lie still, moaning slightly. Sonic could feel himself losing his composure; although what he said was supposed to rouse Shadow, it wasn't exactly untrue. His heart rose when he saw a sliver of crimson, and Shadow's eyelids opened slowly.

"S-Son.. ic?" he wheezed. Sonic felt two conflicting states of emotion; sorrow at Shadow's condition, joy at having re-established a connection with his beloved.

"Yes Shadow, it's me. I'm here for you."

"No... no..." croaked Shadow, his eyes full of fear, "please... don't hurt me again..."

Sonic leaned in closer, but Shadow tried to crawl away across the floor.

"Get away!" he cried, his voice rising in panic, "Please! No more! No more!"

"Shadow, please!" Sonic begged, tears starting to well up in his eyes, "it's the real me! It's your Sonic. I promise I won't hurt you."

Shadow continued to drag himself weakly along, whining in anguish and trembling. Sonic couldn't hold himself together anymore, and collapsed into the black fur, resting his head on the quivering figure and sobbing. Metal Shadow's laughter surrounded him, dragging him down into the depths of despair; after all they had been through, his personal hero had been reduced to a gibbering wreck. Sonic had lost everything he had worked towards, and the pain threatened to consume him from the inside out.

Against his cheek, where his head rested on Shadow's back, he felt a familiar tingle. Breathing out with a heavy sigh, he allowed his Chaos energy to pass into Shadow, and the energy of his dear friend to flow into him. If this was to be an end for either of them, they would share this experience one last time, the almost transcendental sensation that only he and Shadow could share.

It didn't feel right.

Sonic sat up, his tears drying up almost immediately. His eyes bounced back and forth between the black hedgehog at his knees and his sinister robot look-alike, and frustration overtook him.

"Did you really think I wouldn't recognise my own boyfriend's Chaos Signature?" he said, "this isn't Shadow; it's just another one of your fakes!"

Sonic leant forward again, wrapping his body tightly to the fake Shadow, who writhed underneath him. Looking up at Metal Shadow from under his brow, he let the robot mastermind see his most mischievous smile.

"You like manipulating Chaos energy, huh?" said Sonic, "well, try this on for size!"

He closed his eyes, focusing intently on the energy inside the fake Shadow. Instead of gentle back and forth of energy he shared with Shadow, this was a one-sided battle. Sonic dragged the energy through his skin, burning it with pins and needles at every point of contact. The energy pulled back against it, seemingly clinging on to the fake Shadow with desperate strength, but Sonic forced all his effort into sucking the power inside himself. The doppelganger under him let out a painful gasp, and his squirming ceased.

Sonic's whole body shook and his fur rose to attention as the energy surged through him. Below him, the fake Shadow had become a pathetic-looking silver robot. Sonic forced the excess Chaos into his arms, and with a shout he forced the bindings apart, snapping them. The two doppelgangers who had escorted Shadow ran towards him, but still kneeling he threw his arms forward, placing on open hand on each of their stomachs. He began to drain the Chaos Energy from them, his arms acting like two peach straws drinking the life straight out of their bodies. They spasmed where they stood, and with a flash they turned back into featureless robots and collapsed.

Sonic's fur crackled with arcs of blue lightning, adrenaline and Chaos energy mingling and firing up his muscles. Pushing against the floor with his bound legs he thrust himself into the air, splitting apart the ropes in seconds and landing on his feet. Metal Shadow continued to observe him, unmoving as he watched Sonic's daring escape.

"Game over, Metal Shadow," said Sonic, "I'm taking you down! CHAOS SPEAR!"

The blue bolt appeared in his hand, like a bolt of lightning plucked from the absent sky above. Sonic hurled it towards his robot adversary, and it surged across the room, slamming into Metal Shadow and engulfing him in blinding white and blue fire. Sonic grinned manically as he watched the robotic nuisance disappear into the flames. But his elation faded at the same time as the blue-white inferno faded away.

Metal Shadow had not moved from his position. No burn marks adorned his casing, and the area around him was completely unscathed by Sonic's attack. Sonic's face fell as Metal Shadow continued to fix him with that hollow void of a stare. Slowly, Metal Shadow rose to his feet, reaching for one side of his torso. Sonic heard a click, and his foe slowly opened the front panel of his chest.

A pristine red jewel sat within his chest cavity, pulsating with blood-red light and looking like a crystalline heart. Sonic gasped to himself; he recognised Shadow's Emerald, and realised the villain must be holding the real Shadow captive somewhere if he managed to get hold of it.

"I said I only _needed_ one Emerald, Sonic," said Metal Shadow, closing up his chest, "not that I only _had_ one. This will protect me from any of your abilities. As you've no doubt worked out, I captured the real Shadow some time ago. So far, he has refused to break for me, but now that you're here, I think that might change, don't you?"

Sonic seared with anger, and he launched himself towards the smug robot, his foot flying forward into a kick aimed straight at Metal Shadow's head. Before he made contact, his whole body jerked, his own momentum painfully reflecting back into him. A crimson glow enveloped him, and he hung in mid-air with his leg still outstretched.

"You need to listen, Sonic," said Metal Shadow, who stood with his palm outward, a sinister scarlet glow shining from within his frame, "the Chaos Emerald protects me from _all_ of your abilities. With the Matrix-augmented Emerald at my command and Shadow's own inside me, there is nothing you can do to harm me."

"Sounds like a wager to me," said Sonic, "and I'm not in the habit of losing bets." Metal Shadow slowly turned his head to stare straight into Sonic's eyes.

"Cute," he said, "but your defiance will only harm you further. Allow me to demonstrate."

With a flick of his wrist he sent Sonic flying across the room, the blue hedgehog impacting into the opposite wall and crashing to the floor. With pain shooting through his bones, Sonic struggled to lift himself off the metal surface. The two doppelgangers that had brought him here, who had been waiting by the door, lifted him by his arms. He tried to drain their energy, but something blocked him and he couldn't get hold of it.

"Can't let you do that again, Sonic," said Metal Shadow, approaching him with palm outstretched, surrounded by a crimson glow, "I'm guessing Shadow taught you how to effectively use Chaos Control during your cosy time together. You know, his 'love' for you disgusts me; the way it _infected_ my copy under my nose and made it so much weaker. You are his rival for the title of most powerful being on Mobius, and he should commit all his power into destroying you, not protecting you. It is the natural order of things."

"You don't understand anything about nature," Sonic spat, "you look like him, but you're just a machine, you don't know how love works. It makes us stronger to work together rather than fight."

"Oh, I understand perfectly well, Sonic, and I have to disagree. Love has made you both weak, and now… it will utterly destroy you."

~o~


	26. XXV – Say Something

** XXV – Say Something **

Someone who looked a lot like Shadow the Hedgehog limped along the desolate white corridors of GUN's regional headquarters. He ran his fingers slowly along the cracked plaster, riddled with bullet holes, scratched with deep claw marks and smeared with blood. Beneath his feet an obstacle course of rubble, dead bodies and inactive silver robots awaited him, and through walls and floors he heard the muffled sounds of gunfire and panicked screams.

He felt sick at the sight of the carnage endlessly stretching out before him, but he also knew that he didn't. Across his vision red lines of code swarmed like insects, words and number telling him to feel sick, telling his stomach to turn and his balance to waver. Looking down at the spindly silver robots strewn across the floor, he knew that's all he was underneath his outward appearance, but he still felt real, even though he could see the numbers telling him to feel real.

Sonic had caused this; _his_ Sonic, the one that wasn't real either, but who still lived in the insidious fantasy of existing. The Fake Shadow had loved him once, and used to revel in this amount of destruction, but those emotions had no foundation; it was all lies, nothing meant anything anymore.

As he limped past a wooden door to his right, it opened a crack with a quiet creak. Peeking out at him through the gap, a female white fox in a white coat looked straight into his eyes, trembling and clutching a large bundle of papers.

"Is it gone?" she quavered, tears streaming from her eyes, "I hid in here but I… I saw what it did to those soldiers through the window. Their guns were useless, and it just… it just tore them apart… "

Fake Shadow's head began to pound, lines and crosshairs fixing upon the fox's timid face, red letters screaming at him from behind his eyes.

**TERMINATE. TERMINATE. TERMINATE.**

"NO!" he screamed, holding his head in his hands and crashing into the opposite wall, "I won't do what you tell me anymore!"

"Are you okay?" said the fox.

"Get out of here!" said Fake Shadow, falling to his knees, "run, before I hurt you!" The frightened fox didn't need any further prompting, and took off down the corridor, disappearing around a corner. Fake Shadow rose to his feet, his head pounding with error codes. The building around him began to shake, and a low rumble thundered through the floor from the floors below.

Fake Shadow quelled the errors hounding him, setting his focus towards the source of the noise. He had made a decision, the most important decision of his brief life. Even the numbers processing the decision before his eyes, reminding him of the futility of his existence could not quell his determination.

He would end this madness here and now.

~o~

* * *

Tails didn't want to die, at least not like this. He always thought he would go out in a blaze of glory, performing a kamikaze attack on one of Eggman's flying death machines, or being struck by a laser as he pushed Sonic to safety. Sacrificing himself for the greater good and most importantly going out quickly, just like Sonic would want for himself. Not the slow torture Super Sonic had begun to inflict upon him.

The hideous mockery of his best friend continued to grip his narrow arms, his fur burning in agony under the flaming gloves, his bones at breaking point against the supermobian strength. Tails had never felt more alone in his life than at this point, and the face of the beast before him only reminded him of the one he needed most, the one who had abandoned him in his darkest hour.

All Tails could do was scream. Hot tears flowed freely along his fur, and his agonising wail penetrated the walls of the lobby themselves.

"Please!" he bawled, "please, don't kill me! I don't wanna die!"

Super Sonic's sadistic grin didn't falter, and the burning yellow hedgehog leaned towards him, casting a shadow that strained before the hedgehog's burning light over Tails' face. An unnaturally long and flexible tongue snaked out from between the rows of jagged teeth, slithering along the little fox's muzzle and lapping at his tears with a leathery touch that made Tails want to puke.

"Mmmm, salty," said Super Sonic, "cry some more for me, Tails! Let me taste your fear!"

Super Sonic's grip tightened, and a cracking sound reached Tails ears, pain shooting along his arms. He cried out again, but he had no more cries to give, instead retching from the agony. This was it, he thought, the moment he feared was almost upon him.

"No-one's going to save you now, Tails!"

"Enough!" issued a deep voice from the shadows behind the pillars. Super Sonic hesitated, looking around in disgust to see who disturbed his moment of victory.

From the darkness a black and red hedgehog emerged, wearing a face as solemn as night.

"Sonic, my love," he said, "what have you done?"

Super Sonic turned to face the black hedgehog, releasing his grip on Tails, and the fox gasped a huge breath in relief, wincing from the lingering pain coursing through his blackened and smouldering wrists.

"Shadow? _My_ Shadow? Is it really you?" The other hedgehog hesitated for a moment, before clearing his throat.

"Yes, it's me, Sonic," he said, "I've come back for you."

"It really is you! You should be so pleased with me, Shadsy!" said Super Sonic, sounding less like a psychotic monster and more like a small child trying to please its parent, "I've become strong for you, strong enough to tear down the world."

"Yes, I can see that," said Shadow in a flat monotone, "you've... done well. Will you let me share in this power? So we can finish this together?"

"Yes, oh yes, Shads, I will! We'll burn this world together, as we were always destined to! Come to me, let me share my gift with you."

He held out his arms, and the black hedgehog tentatively approached him, slowly sliding into a lover's embrace. Super Sonic closed his eyes, lost in the hold of his partner, but Shadow's eyes stayed open, flicking over to Tails with a hollow sadness. The black hedgehog began to glow yellow, his spines rising as the light swept into him.

"Yes!" said Super Sonic, "it's happening! It's happening!"

The light within Shadow continued to intensify, shifting from yellow to dazzling white, and Super Sonic began to glow brightly alongside him, the rays almost blinding Tails. Letting out one last heavy sigh, Shadow closed his eyes and seized Super Sonic in a crushing grip.

"What are you doing?" cried Super Sonic, looking around in panic, "No! Stop this! Shadow, no!"

"I'm sorry, my love," said Shadow, a tear slowly moving down his cheek, "but I'm not Shadow, and you're not Sonic. I don't think we ever were."

A searing, whining noise began to drone through the lobby, and the light from the two hedgehogs became blinding, piercing through Tails closed eyelids. The heat surging out of them began to burn him, and ignoring the pain in his arms he scrabbled blindly over the desk and cowered beneath it.

From behind him he heard the rushing sound grow to a deafening roar, mixed with the cry of anguish from Super Sonic. The ground beneath him began to shake, and Tails put his head between his legs, bracing for impact.

"It was a lie, Sonic," he heard Fake Shadow say, "Nothing we felt was real, and it never will be. We can't go on living like this, acting out someone else's dream. Accept it, this is end for us. Let us both die free."

Super Sonic's roar of pain became overpowering, the noise pounding upon Tails' eardrums. But over the dreadful din he heard Shadow say a single word, sounding like it was inside his own mind.

"Sayonara."

With a deafening bang the top of the desk caved in, showering him with splinters. The whole room trembled around him, and burning heat danced through the air. After a moment the howling wind ceased, and the only sound he heard was that of debris clattering against the floor.

Tails opened his eyes. He was alive, and his heart skipped a beat; somehow he still lived after all that chaos. Slowly he crawled out from under the destroyed desk, breathing heavily in response to the pain in his scorched wrists, to lift his head out to survey the scene.

The hedgehogs had gone. Where they had stood moments before, the marble floor was stained black with scorch marks, the fingers of seared stone creeping along the pillars and floor in all directions. The plaster on the pillars had been blasted clean away, and many of the bodies littering the lobby had been completely turned to ash, including some unfortunate Mobian corpses in range.

Trembling he crept over to the smouldering scorch, the lingering phosphorous smell invading his nostrils and turning his stomach. Around him the silence fell like a tolling bell; there was no more gunfire, no more screams, only the bitter aftermath of death and destruction was left to keep him company.

Tails fell to his knees, holding his face in his hands, and wept without shame. His nightmare was over, his monster slain, but he found no solace in such a costly victory. The silence only served to taunt him with a horrible truth, a feeling of childish terror he had long since overcome. His regression overtook him, dragging him further into his long-forgotten memories.

He would stay inside his head until someone came to pull him out.

~o~

* * *

"Tails? Tails, where are you?"

Knuckles' voice echoed along the empty corridors, piercing the overwhelming silence of the facility. Moments before, the cacophony permeating the GUN building had reached its peak, the ground had begun to shake and a shockwave rattled the building with a deafening bang. Then, like someone had closed the lid on the source of the havoc, a blanket of silence fell across the place, leaving Knuckles immersed by a gaunt quiet, his own breaths sounding like a howling wind to his ears.

As he made his way past blood-stained walls and crumbling doorways, his mind swam back to how he had ended up here.

He had just touched down on the landing pad after gliding from the broken windows, turning around and expecting to see Tails fluttering down behind him. When he found no sign of the little fox, a shout from the window made him look up, and his heart rose in panic. Someone had a hold of Tails, a dark figure he couldn't quite make out, but then Super Sonic appeared in a blaze of fire. There was a sound of a gunshot, before blinding light poured from the windows, accompanied by a man crying out in terror.

Knuckles had wasted no time, his blood was up, and he sprinted back towards the building, barrelling past the guards covering the rear entrance, with Rouge following close behind. The real Sonic was nowhere to be found, it fell to the Guardian of Angel Island to protect the innocent, especially when that innocent was one of his oldest and most cherished friends.

Back in the present moment, Knuckles' search grew more and more despondent. He had passed many bodies, relieved that none of them seemed to be Tails. On the other hand, some of them didn't seem to be anyone, having been mangled or burned beyond any hope of identification. Knuckles felt guilt nip at his quills; better to find no trace at all and cling to hope that the little fox still lived, than to see his broken body lying among the ruins.

He pushed through a set of silver double doors, which stopped abruptly when they were half open. Pushing through the gap, he found it blocked by a slab of stone.

The scene before him stung his eyes to look at it. The lobby, once a scene of polished grandeur, lay in ruins, a black scorch blighting every surface, the ornate pillars stripped bare, and piles of rubble and twisted metal covering the ground.

In the middle of it all, next to the jagged edges of the shattered reception desk, an orange-furred figure lay face down, completely motionless.

"Oh no..." said Knuckles, his fear reaching interminable levels. He dashed over to the lying figure, sliding to his knees. Cautiously, dreading what the other side of the fox might look like, he reached over to the body, turning it over and resting it on his lap. Tails' shining blue eyes stared straight ahead, and his face remained unmoving, frozen in its blank expression.

"Tails?" said Knuckles, trying to stop his voice from breaking, "Tails? Little buddy? It's me, Knuckles. Are you gonna say something for me? Tails?"

No response.

Knuckles clung to the body, leaning his head tight against the fox's chest. His emotions swirled within him, and he had to stop himself, not only from crying, but from bellowing with rage. Sonic had run away like a coward, leaving his best friend to die alone. Regardless of who was behind the attack, he would make Sonic pay for this.

A soft breeze sifted through his quills, and Knuckles looked up. The breeze came from Tails' own nostrils, and Knuckles realised the fox boy's chest slowly expanded and contracted beneath him. Knuckles anger and sorrow were dashed to pieces in an instant when he realised the truth.

"Tails!" exclaimed Knuckles, grinning with happiness, "you're alive! Oh, thank the Master! Tails?"

The little fox gave no reply, but continued to stare blankly into space. Knuckles shook him gently, tapping his face a few times, but Tails' face remained unchanging, save for the soft breath flowing through his nostrils.

"C'mon Tails..." said Knuckles, laughing nervously to himself, "joke time's over... please, say something now... anything?"

After another moment of silence, and he felt his anger returning.

"Say something!" he bellowed, shaking Tails vigorously, a tear streaking along his cheek, "please Tails, please just... say something."

The sound of a door opening made him look up, and he saw Rouge standing over him, her search of the other side of the building leading her here. Her mouth hung open in shock.

"Oh no, Tails!" she said, "Knuckles, is he...?"

"He's alive, but there's something wrong with him. He just keeps staring and not saying anything."

Rouge knelt down to look at the prone figure. Gently moving his bangs out of his eyes, she clicked her fingers a few times in front of his eyes.

"Tails?" she said, "Tails, can you hear me?"

"It's no use," said Knuckles, grim-faced, "he's in some kind of trance."

"He's having an acute stress reaction," said Rouge, noticing Knuckles' confused look, "he's gone into shock." She gasped as she looked down, "but Knuckles! Look at his arms!"

Knuckles glanced down at the narrow orange arms slumping against the blackened floor, and felt his stomach turn. The soft orange fur had completely burned away, and the pink skin underneath glowed with reddened swelling.

"Yeesh, that's nasty," said Knuckles, grimacing, "we need to get that looked at."

"First degree burns, by the look of it," said Rouge, "Come on, sugar, there's a fleet of ambulances waiting out the front, let's get him to a hospital before those wounds become infected."

The two rose to their feet, Tails lying limply across Knuckles arms, and they made their way towards the front door, stepping around and over the debris and fallen robots. As they slowly marched through the desolation, Rouge turned to look back at the wrecked lobby with a heavy sigh.

"Chaos, Knuckles. It all feels so unreal. Just what happened here?"

"I think..." Knuckles said, looking down at his charge, "I think Tails did."

"What?"

"I don't know how he did it, but he saved us all. He must have whipped up some device, probably out of shoelaces or something, but enough to take out Super Sonic and the rest of those creepy Sonic fakes. He put his life on the line to save everyone, and he did it all without Sonic's help. Tails is the real hero today."

As they made their way through the absent front door, the sight of paramedics rushing back and forth greeted them, with throngs of injured people gathered in the parking lot.

Knuckles looked down at the helpless and prone form of Tails, admiration swelling in his chest at the thought of his friend's heroic sacrifice. He leant down over him, whispering into his ear.

"I'm proud of you, little buddy. Even if Sonic isn't."

~o~

* * *

White coats going by to the left and to the right, a stretcher passing through. Pagers beeped and phones rang off the hook, while wounded people lay on stretchers, moaning and gasping. Amongst the constant clamour and rush of activity of the hospital corridors, only one person remained still.

He could have been there for five minutes or five hours, it would have all felt the same to Knuckles.

"Excuse me-" he said to a doctor rushing by, but they kept on walking, lost in the rush to attend to all the new arrivals. Such had it been every time he tried to ask about Tails. The red echidna slumped into his uncomfortable plastic seat, allowing the roulette wheel of his emotions to spin again.

It landed on anger. Anger at Sonic, his supposed best bud. Not that one would think it with the way they snarked at each other all the time, but that was just their way of getting along. Despite all the name-calling, he would never have suggested that Sonic was a coward. Until today, when he had abandoned them all to go chase after a boy.

He had known that Sonic was gay for ages. Rouge had to point it out to him, but once he noticed the unmistakable way Sonic's eyes would follow some eighteen year old stud as he walked past he couldn't help but laugh. When questioned, Sonic clearly didn't even realise he was doing it, brushing them off and acting blasé as usual. Even with Rouge's teasing it was all just a bit of fun; Sonic always ragged on the idea of romance, and Knuckles never expected him to lose his mind over someone like this. Like he had feared before, he saw that Shadow had taken hold of Sonic, making him lose sight of the people who needed him most.

Next came sorrow. Sorrow at Tails' condition. The way his eyes stared blankly ahead, the horrible burns on his arms, the silence. He could never shut Tails up once he started talking about something that interested him, so to see the hyperactive little fox rendered completely mute broke his heart.

Tails was to be his responsibility now; he would take him to live with him on Angel Island. He would let him bring his tools of course, and with the island's defences active, there was no safer place on Mobius for the fox to play and study. Knuckles would teach him to be responsible, to impress upon him the duty it takes to be a Guardian.

Perhaps he would invite Rouge along too. _After all,_ he told himself, _a kid like that needs to have a maternal figure around..._

He shook his head briskly, trying to put the sassy bat and thoughts of family life out of his mind. No sooner had they loaded Tails into the ambulance when a call came in summoning all able-bodied GUN personnel to the main headquarters in Empire City. He could tell from her distant expression that Rouge didn't want to leave him, but she had her duty, and he had his. Whatever else they felt for one another didn't matter in the long run.

Round and round the roulette wheel goes, where she stops...

"Mr... Nook-lez, is it?" he heard a voice say, making him look up. A doctor, a female rabbit with a tawny coat stood over him, holding a clipboard and scrutinising it closely.

"It's Knuckles."

"Oh, I am so sorry," she said, "it's a bit more of an exotic name than I'm used to."

"Mmm-hmm," Knuckles mumbled, rolling his eyes and not even bothering to stand up.

"I understand it was you who brought in Miles Prower?" Knuckles leapt to his feet, his heart pounding. The ball had landed squarely on panic.

"Tails?" he said, "I mean, Miles? Yeah, I did, how is he? Is he okay?"

"He's fine," said the doctor, and Knuckles felt his heart sink back into place, "he's currently resting. He had first degree burns on his arms, and hairline fractures along both ulnas. We've treated the burns, and fitted casts on both forearms."

"Can I see him?" asked Knuckles, eager to get the medical talk out of the way. The rabbit eyed him suspiciously.

"May I ask how you know him?"

"I'm his best damn friend!" he barked, his blood surging through him, "so let me see him, already!" Technically the statement was not untrue, without Sonic, Knuckles was the closest thing Tails had to a big brother. The doctor jumped back a little, her eyes wide in alarm.

"There's no need to get snippy," she said, holding her clipboard up like a shield, "I have to ask these questions for security reasons, and I do have one more, so please calm down."

"Fine," Knuckles huffed, his shadow looming over the rabbit, "What is it?"

"How did he come by these injuries?"

"You see all these people?" said Knuckles, pointing around at the myriad of stretchers containing wounded soldiers and office workers, "They're from GUN HQ, which up until recently was a freakin' warzone, and Ta... Miles was right in the middle of it." The doctor's face fell, heavy with shame.

"How awful. That's no place for a child to be. I'm sorry, I had no idea."

"You really don't," said Knuckles, unmoved by her apology, "none of these people would be alive if it wasn't for him. He saved so many people today, including _you_ , so take me to see him!"

That was enough for the doctor, and she quickly led him down a corridor, guiding him through a pale wooden door into a private room.

The sunlight streaming through the windows glanced off of Tails' orange fur, leaving him with a gilded edge. Knuckles felt himself relax at the sight of the little fox dozing peacefully in the hospital bed. Plaster casts covered his wrists, leaving only his thumbs and fingers free, and white bandages tightly wrapped around his arms further up. Creeping slowly over to him, Knuckles began to run his hand through his bangs, slowly stroking the boy's head. Tails stirred, and Knuckles caught a glimpse of blue as the fox's eyes partially opened.

"S-Sonic?" he wheezed quietly, and Knuckles heart skipped a beat to hear Tails speak again. All was not lost.

"Hi Tails," he whispered, "it's Knuckles. I'm looking after you now."

"What happened? S-Super... Sonic..."

"He's gone, thanks to you. It's all over now, little buddy. You saved us all!"

"No... not me..." Tails said, his eyes slowly closing again, "Shadow..."

"Huh?" said Knuckles, turning around to face the doctor, who shrugged her shoulders.

"He's probably just drowsy from all the painkillers," she said, "we should really let him rest."

Knuckles turned back to face Tails, but he had already nodded off again, snoring gently. Knuckles mind raced, trying to decipher Tails' cryptic statement.

"I'm going to stay here," he said, "where I'm needed."

"Are you sure? He could be out for quite a while."

Knuckles didn't take his eyes from the sleeping fox.

"I'm stay as long it takes," he said, "that's what it means to be a Guardian. That's what it means to be a friend."

~o~


	27. XXVI – Things I Hate About You

**XXVI – Things I Hate About You**

"Shadow?" Sonic croaked.

"Yes, Sonic?"

"On a scale of one to ten, how screwed do you think we are?"

"Let's evaluate shall we?" said Shadow, his tone brimming with irritation, "We're currently being held in the recesses of an ancient temple miles away from civilisation by an insane robot version of myself. Said copy has utilised a device built by my own hand to manipulate a Chaos Emerald to do his bidding. Said copy only _has_ said device because I foolishly left it behind, and I only left it behind because I was concerned with your well-being and not thinking straight. Our friends may well be facing an attack of some sort at GUN HQ, no-one knows where we are, and even if they did, they wouldn't know how to contact us. So yes, Faker, we are indeed 'screwed' as you so eloquently put it."

"Nice exposition, Shads," said Sonic, grinning cheekily, "very succinctly put."

"There is a slight silver lining to this for you," said Shadow, "you did say you would rather have been in a death-trap than in a cell. By the looks of this contraption, you may just have got your wish."

Sonic and Shadow were confined in a small chamber illuminated by a buzzing yellow light. Each of the hedgehogs levitated within a column of swirling blue energy, their hands and feet restrained by metal clamps joined by twisting wires, and on their chest, a copy of the Redistribution Matrix latched onto them, crushing their breath and tingling with an orange glow.

"Do you remember everything I say, word for word?" asked Sonic, prompting an arrogant smirk from Shadow.

"Of course. I have perfect recall of everything that happens to me."

"Alright, Mr. Smarty-pants," sneered Sonic, irritated by Shadow's arrogance, "what's the seventeenth thing you said to me after we met in this temple the first time around?"

Shadow hesitated, blushing slightly.

"It was during our fight over the fake Emerald, I said..." he cleared his throat, ""You asked for it, pretty boy!""

"Not sure if that's even right, but I remember you saying it," said Sonic, his own cheeks feeling hot, "aww, did you only say that to distract me, or do you really think I'm pretty?"

"Of course I don't think you're pretty!" snapped Shadow, causing Sonic to shrink back his coy eyelid-fluttering. Shadow's face softened immediately, and he continued in a soft tone almost like a whisper.

"I think you're _beautiful_."

Sonic froze, stunned by Shadow's gentle confession. Something about his dark counterpart's genuine tone made him feel vulnerable again. It was easy for him to be open when Shadow stubbornly insisted on keeping to himself, but this exposure of his deepest feeling, this reversal of roles made Sonic want to clam up in his stead. But he had to grab the opportunity, to let his impulse drive him towards the object of his affection.

"Shadow, I..." he said, "I'm so glad to have you back, and if we're gonna die, I want you to know... I lo-"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence I were you, Sonic."

On the wall to Sonic's right, a screen flickered to life, revealing a close-up of Metal Shadow's scowling red-eyed visage. His robotic echoing voice scratched its way through the tinny speakers, and it scratched into Sonic's eardrums.

"Touched as I am by this... _heart-warming_ reunion," he said with as much sarcasm and contempt a robot could muster, "it must come to an end, so you can listen to a little science lesson. Did you know, recent studies have shown a strong correlation between emotion in Mobians and Chaos Energy fluctuations? No-one's sure whether the emotions control the energy or vice versa, or both, but the interesting thing is, when a Mobian feels a strong emotion towards a person, be it love or hate, it actually affects the Chaos energy within and around that person."

"There'll be a strong correlation between my fist and your face if you don't shut up and let us out of here!" said Sonic, before throwing Shadow a quizzical look and whispering, "did that make sense?"

"Kind of," said Shadow, "I think that might just be your first science-based witticism."

"Alas, being inorganic means I cannot channel my hatred of you into pure Chaos," continued Metal Shadow, ignoring their banter, "but what I can do is turn your emotions against you. You've both extolled the virtues of 'love' and 'friendship' to me with such vigour, so now I'm going to show you how toxic those emotions can be."

"What are you prattling on about?" said Sonic.

"In a few moments, I will activate the devices affixed to your bodies. They will convert any positive emotion you feel towards another into painful Chaos shocks. The stronger your love for someone, the more pain they will receive. So effectively, your love for your friends will kill them. What a pity."

More screens flickered to life around the central one, and Sonic's heart leapt into his mouth. Images appeared of Tails lying in a hospital bed with Knuckles by his side, of Amy and Cream playing together in a sunlit garden, and of the Chaotix Crew busily working away in their office.

"Leave them alone, you heartless bastard!" yelled Sonic.

"You will soon learn the advantages of heartlessness, Sonic," said Metal Shadow, "and of the weakness in your own heart."

"When I get out of here, I'll kill you!" Sonic screamed as he thrashed against his restraints.

"Bold of you to make threats, but ultimately pathetic. Even your hatred of me is fuelled by your love of them," said Metal Shadow, "it will not save you, and it will not save them. Don't bother pulling the same stunt as you did in Cybernia either; the Redistribution Matrices won't allow it."

Sonic gasped, his throat dried out by terror. Looking into Shadow's eyes, he hoped the calm hedgehog would still have enough anger in him to resist the fiendish trap. But he could see from Shadow's longing stare, the hate that once festered in Shadow's heart no longer existed, it was clear to Sonic that whatever Shadow had done in his alone time had replaced his anger with an intense love for the blue hedgehog.

This was going to hurt.

~o~

* * *

Knuckles held a fork up to Tails' mouth, a juicy piece of steak tantalisingly perched on the prongs. Tails leant forward to gladly wrap his mouth around it, before sitting back and chewing happily.

"This is surprisingly good," said Tails through smacking lips, "for hospital food, at least."

"I think the nurses are scared of what I might do if you don't get the very best," said Knuckles, laughing, "I only have to look at them and they take cover."

Tails laughed, and Knuckles smiled warmly at him. He felt content to see Tails wide awake and seemingly back to his old self, a confident smile on his face and sparkling blue eyes shining in the golden light. The only thing wrong with him were the casts preventing him from using his hands properly. Knuckles didn't mind cutting up the little fox's food for him, and although Tails probably felt frustrated at being coddled, Knuckles could tell he enjoyed the company.

"Besides," said Knuckles, "it's no less than you deserve. This is a hero's lunch."

"So you keep saying, but I still can't remember what I even did" said Tails, "Hmm, maybe I redirected the Chaos purge subroutine to overload through the shield emitters. That would have caused a negative feedback loop which would have destabilized the Chaos robots' morphic pattern."

"I literally have no idea what you just said, but I'm sure whatever it was, it was badass."

"It's alright," said Tails, "Sonic never got the science stuff, either." His face fell, and Knuckles realised they still had a rather large blue elephant in the room to discuss. He still hadn't told Tails of Sonic's desertion, or of his own plan to adopt the little fox. After the day he'd had, Tails didn't need any more pressure or worries.

"Ahem…" coughed Knuckles, "hey little buddy, before you fell asleep earlier, you said something about… Shadow? Something about him helping you?" He knew that was a grasp, but anything to change the subject would suit him.

"Did I?" asked Tails, shaking his head, "not sure why I would say that, but my memory is still fuzzy. I'm just glad it's all over."

"Me too, little buddy," said Knuckles, smiling and ruffling the fox's bangs, "me too." Tails raised his eyebrow curiously.

"Why do you keep calling me 'little buddy'?" he asked, "that's what Sonic calls me."

"Umm…" hesitated Knuckles, looking around nervously, "I just thought you'd find it comforting, you know, familiar and all that."

"Don't," said Tails in a stern tone that surprised the red echidna. Knuckles heart sank; was the bond between Sonic & Tails really that strong, that even nicknames were closely guarded? He felt foolish to think he could ever step into the role of big brother, but that wouldn't stop him trying; Tails would soon have to learn how Sonic forsook that title. After a moment of awkward silence, Knuckles stood up and paced around the room.

"You okay, Knux?" asked Tails.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, just give me a minute to – argh!"

A stabbing pain shot through his head, blurring his vision with burning heat. Massaging his temple, he tried to push out the dull throbbing.

"Man, that smarts," said Knuckles, "feels like a jackhammer's pounding on my skull. I could use a drink. Let me have some of that water, little… I mean, dude."

Knuckles turned to face the bed, his headache paling into insignificance when he saw what lay there.

Tails was lying flat out on the bed, jerking violently and rattling against the frame. His plate slid from his lap and crashed against the floor, and Knuckles dashed over to him.

"Tails!" he cried, sweat pouring down his brow, "what's happening? Speak to me!"

Tails continued to thrash, his limbs squirming across the rapidly twisting sheets. His eyes were locked open, with dilated pupils staring through the ceiling in terror. His teeth clenched down in a rictus of pain, and saliva foamed from his open lips. Knuckles' head pounded in time with his racing heart, and he rushed to the door into the corridor, throwing it open with a crash.

"Somebody help us!"

~o~

* * *

Golden sunlight shone in dappled rays through the old trees lining the garden. Behind a cottage on the outskirts of Station Square, Amy Rose tossed a pink Frisbee to a little rabbit. Above them, almost invisible against the clear blue sky, a Chao fluttered back and forth trying to catch it.

"You're too slow, Cheese!" said Amy.

"Chao!" squeaked Cheese. The little rabbit hopped up to catch the pink plastic disk, landing daintily in the grass with a flutter of her yellow dress.

"Amy?" said Cream, "when do you think Mr. Sonic will come back?"

"I don't know, Cream," she sighed, "I hope it's soon." Cream hesitated at the sight of Amy's melancholy expression.

"I don't think he did any of those bad things people say he did," she said, "he's a nice man. He wouldn't hurt anybody on purpose."

"Yeah, he is a nice man," Amy said wistfully, "and I know he wouldn't turn bad, no matter what happened. Don't let other people try and tell you nasty stuff about your friends. But let's not worry about grown-up stuff, we've got a game to play."

"Okay, Amy," said Cream, "here it comes!"

She drew back her arm, but before the Frisbee took flight she squealed in pain, dropping the disk at her feet. Amy dashed over to her.

"Cream, are you alright?" she said, "what happened?"

"My head," said Cream through tears, "it really hurts!" Amy ran her fingers through the little rabbit's head fur, finding no sign of a cut or bruise.

"It looks okay, but maybe you should – aieee!" Amy collapsed to her knees, holding her head with both hands. Pain shot through her skull, accompanied by a piercing whine, and tears forced their way through her eyelids.

"Chao! Chao!" squeaked Cheese frantically, fluttering around her head.

"Amy?" cried Cream, "Amy, what's the matter? Does your head hurt too?"

Amy said nothing, but doubled over, moaning and clutching at her temples. Cream span round on the spot and dashed for the house.

"Mommy! Help!"

~o~

* * *

"You stop this!" cried Sonic, "you stop this now! Leave them out of this; they didn't do anything to you!"

In the darkened chamber Sonic thrashed inside the column of blue light. Crackling, burning heat shot through every part of his body, and opposite him Shadow grunted and shuddered in agony. On the screens Sonic could see his friends bent double, clutching their heads tightly, and in his own body he felt his heart breaking. He couldn't even see Tails on the monitor, only a crowd of doctors and nurses frantically swarming around his hospital bed.

"Only you can stop this, Sonic," said the dark voice of Metal Shadow, "all you have to do is stop loving them. But you can't do that, can you? That's the problem with emotions; you can't switch them off when it's convenient. The best part is, the more pain you see them enduring, the stronger your feelings get, increasing their torment exponentially."

"If you want to torture me, go ahead!" yelled Sonic, a tear creeping along his muzzle, "but please just leave them alone."

"The point of this is not to hurt you, Sonic," said Metal Shadow, "it's to make you hurt yourself, to know that everything that happens to them is a direct result of who you are."

Sonic tried again to break free of his restraints, raging against the machine with all his strength, the sound of Metal Shadow's dark laughter echoing around the room. But as Shadow panted heavily in answer to his outburst, his tightly closed eyelids unable to stop the tears escaping, Sonic realised his folly; Metal Shadow was right, his furious desire to break free came entirely from his need to save his friends. The same love that burned so brightly within him was slowly killing them. A hunch tickled Sonic's mind; if this machine was powered by love, than maybe….

"Shadow!" he yelled, "look at me!" Shadow opened his eyes to squint at Sonic, and the blue hedgehog felt a sharp stab of pain; seeing him stirred something within Shadow that had been immediately turned against Sonic by the device.

Sonic smiled at his dark counterpart, but it wasn't his warm, friendly smile that radiated love and affection, it was his cocky self-assured grin he wore whenever something went his way, or when he needed to hide his sadness from Tails. More importantly, it was the grin that he knew Shadow couldn't stand the sight of.

Shadow said nothing, and underneath the grimaces of pain Sonic couldn't spot an immediate reaction, but within his own body he felt the pain soften slightly; still agonising, but with a slightly dulled edge.

"Hey Shadow," he said, "I'm the coolest!"

Again the pain softened, but immediately it began to creep up again. Sonic realised his hunch had been confirmed, but he knew he had to do more to distract Shadow, to remind him of how much he annoyed him.

"Gotta go fast, Shadow! I'm way past cool!" Another slight drop in pain.

"What the fuck are you doing, Faker?" spat Shadow, gasping a little on the last word. That was the clincher; he hated it when Shadow called him that in earnest, and that gasp was definitely one of relief.

"C'mon Shads!" said Sonic, "let's show that creep the real super-power of teamwork!" A big drop in pain that time.

"Arrgh!" growled Shadow, "you are so damn annoying! You think this is some kind of joke?! Stop fooling around and act your damn age!"

Sonic hated to be told to act his age, and that irritation briefly suppressed his love for the dark hedgehog. Shadow gasped, now able to fully open his eyes, and stared in wonder at Sonic.

"What's happening?" he said, "I can feel the pain subsiding."

"Quick, Shadow!" cried Sonic, the pain creeping its way back into him, fuelled by Shadow's stare, "say something arrogant!"

"Err... like what?"

"Like literally everything you ever say!" yelled Sonic, "do it now!"

"I am the Ultimate Lifeform!" said Shadow with as much bombast he could muster. Sonic felt irritated by the pompous statement, and in response to being irked he could see the tension visibly leaving Shadow.

"That's good, Shadow! Keep going!"

"Looks like someone needs to learn his place."

"I hate it when you say that!" gasped Sonic, "Is it working?"

"It's taking the edge off," grunted Shadow, "Let me try another."

He paused for a moment, before smirking wickedly at Sonic.

"What's wrong, Faker? Tired of being so weak? You're not good enough to be my fake!"

"Chaos, you're such an arrogant dickbag! I hope you're feeling this."

Sonic's mind went blank; he wanted to say something cocky and lame to rile up Shadow but on the spot he couldn't think of anything. Silence passed between them, and staring into Shadow's eyes Sonic realised Shadow was running out of things to say, struggling to come up with something. As the burning heat washed back into him, he knew his plan was quickly falling apart.

"Faker," said Shadow, "I hate the way you never take any responsibility for your actions." Sonic almost retorted to defend himself, before he caught wind of what Shadow was doing.

"Oh yeah?" he spat, "well... I hate the way you look down your nose at everybody!"

"I hate the way you smirk all the time!"

"I hate the way you frown all the time!"

Sonic could feel his heart racing, his excitement overtaking the rapidly diminishing pain.

"You never do anything with the rest of us!" yelled Sonic.

"You and your cretin friends are always poking your big noses into my business!"

"I hate the way your quills stand up like that, cause it looks really, really cool and I wish I could look that cool but I've tried quill gel and furspray but nothing works!"

Shadow hesitated for a moment, and Sonic blushed at what he just said. He didn't think either of them were expecting him to say _that_.

"Err..." said Shadow, his stride thrown off, "I hate... the way you obsess over chili dogs!"

"You never give chili dogs a chance!" yelled Sonic in melodramatic anguish.

The two hedgehogs breathed heavily, still harassed by the constant tingling pain, their minds racing to find some new barb to toss at each other.

"Your breath stinks!" said Sonic, realising he was clutching at straws, "when was the last time you brushed your teeth?"

"The way you slide your tongue around in my mouth, I thought you were trying to clean them for me!"

The pain didn't subside this time, instead increasing slowly. Talking about kissing wouldn't help in their quest to supress their love and annoy each other; it could only make things worse.

"That was weaksauce, Shads," said Sonic, "for both of us. We need to step up our game."

"Sonic, I'm sorry about this," said Shadow, "but that's just what I'm about to do."

Sonic held his breath, and Shadow stared fiercely into his eyes.

"Tails doesn't need you smothering him all the time," Shadow said in an eerie calm, "you're overbearing, you influence him to behave as badly as you do, you stifle his intelligence with your glory-seeking, and you endanger him with your recklessness. You're ruining his life!"

Sonic knew Shadow only said those things to rile him up, but his tone seemed utterly genuine, with the underlying smugness permeating every word, and that horrible arrogant grin spreading across his face. Sonic's rage, his real, pure rage fuelled by hatred, bubbled up to the surface like an active volcano.

"Tails would be better off without you," said Shadow. The volcano erupted, and Sonic howled with rage, desperate to break free and strangle the Ultimate Lifeform. To his surprise, the blue column of light surrounding Shadow dissipated, and Shadow dropped to the floor, tearing off his manacles in a surge of crimson lightning. The dark hedgehog leapt over to him, reaching into Sonic's column and pulling him free. Sonic felt his anger slide away as Shadow ripped his manacles away and ripped the Redistribution Matrix painfully away from his chest, taking a clump of peach fur with it.

"Shadow?" he asked, "what happ-?"

His speech became smothered by Shadow's mouth enveloping his, and by the thick tongue thrusting into his mouth. Freed from the device, Sonic felt his love surge back into him, and he thrust himself upon Shadow, rubbing his hands along the contours of his slender frame, while his own tongue locked in a tight embrace with Shadow's own, hot breath and warm saliva messily passing between them.

Sonic remembered what he had said; Shadow's breath had an unpleasant musk to it, but he supposed his own was no better after the week they'd had, but it could've smelt of week-old garlic for all he cared; the blue hedgehog had become lost in his passion. The familiar tingle of Chaos energy crackled between their lips, and he knew that this was the real Shadow; his unique Chaos signature was unmistakable to Sonic.

As the two hedgehogs continued to lock lips and caress each other, Sonic's right hand slid further down Shadow's back, before resting on top of his rump. Instinctively Sonic squeezed the full and soft cheek, making Shadow jump on the spot.

"S-sonic?!" he cried, pulling out of the kiss, "what are you doing?"

"Sorry!" said Sonic, "I thought… you know…" What did he think? That because they were already an item that he deserved to cop a feel? He shook his head, trying to pull himself together.

"No, I don't know," said Shadow, his passionate side retreating back into his cold demeanour, "ugh, who cares? We need to get to Metal Shadow before he springs another trap on us."

Sonic span around to face the monitors behind him. Metal Shadow's face had vanished from the central one, leaving only blackness, but on the others Sonic saw his friends rising to their feet, no longer in pain, and on Tails' screen he saw the little fox clinging to Knuckles, who stroked the back of the fox's head like a worried parent.

 _Good ol' Knux,_ thought Sonic, _I owe him big time for looking after Tails._

"C'mon Shadow!" yelled Sonic, "Let's go get that metal creep!"

"You don't have to be annoying anymore, Sonic," said Shadow, "we're free of the trap."

"I wasn't trying to be annoying that time, Shads."

"Oh…. okay then," said Shadow, looking a bit flustered.

"That stuff you said about Tails was inspired, Shads," said Sonic, "imagine if I'd said something about Maria, you'd have blasted me to ashes. Um… you didn't mean any of that, did you?"

Shadow leant over to Sonic, wrapping his arm around his shoulder and kissing him gently on the forehead. Sonic's face grew hot; after his impromptu grope of Shadow's rear, he felt a little embarrassed to get close to him again.

"Of course not," said Shadow, "I just knew it was the best way to rile you up. You deserve the credit for thinking of such an ingenious escape plan. What better way to reverse the machine's effect than annoying the piss out of each other? Especially as it comes so naturally to you, Sonic. Now come on, there's no time to waste. "

Shadow dashed out of the room, leaving Sonic on his own. The blue hedgehog's mental cogs whirred, and he talked out loud to himself.

"I'm not _that_ annoying am I?"

Realising he stood alone, Sonic quickly dashed into the corridor to catch up with Shadow. The pitch darkness began to swallow him again, and he fumbled for Shadow's hand.

"Shadow!" he said, "I can't see a thing in here. Take my hand."

He felt the strong grip of Shadow's hand over his, and smiled a little inside.

"That takes you back, eh, Shads?" he said, "you, me, corridors in need of a serious lighting overhaul. Feels like less than a week ago we were last here."

"It _was_ less than a week ago, Faker," grumbled Shadow. Sonic didn't mind being called Faker that time; the way Shadow said it made it seem like a playful slap on the wrist.

"Oh yeah… I forgot," said Sonic, knowing full well Shadow would be rolling his eyes in response.

"We need to get back to the control room," said Shadow, "Metal Shadow will be looking for another way to trap us, so we need to get there and shut down whatever he's got planned."

"Hold on, Shads. I thought I saw something."

Sonic let go of Shadow's hand, moving towards a blue light he glimpsed through a doorway. Passing the threshold, he found himself in another small chamber. In the centre a blue column of light shimmered like smoke, save for the almost spherical figure suspended within it.

"Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding me…" gasped Sonic.

Dr. Eggman glared at Sonic from within his intangible prison.

"Nice to see you too, hedgehog," he said in a voice dripping with sarcasm, "you sure took your sweet time getting here. Now hurry up and release me."

"How are you still alive?" asked Sonic, "Nope, never mind. I'm too busy saving the world from your latest creation to talk right now."

"Here's the thing, Sonic," growled Eggman, "If you want to stop Metal Shadow for good, you're going to need my help. If I were you, I'd seriously consider negotiating with me."

Before Sonic could reply, he heard footsteps clicking behind him, and he knew that Shadow stood beside him. In the blue light he saw his partner fix the doctor with a piercing glare, his arms folded defiantly. Shadow's deep voice dominated the chamber.

"Talk."

~o~


	28. Interlude – Reasonable Doubt

**Interlude – Reasonable Doubt**

For Abraham Tower, the day could have gone better. The Supreme Commander of GUN sat within his cavernous office, casting his eyes over the bulky report lying on his imposing oak desk. He had read it multiple times already, but still felt the need to study the facts and figures again, as if re-reading them might make them change to something more palatable and restore what little colour his hair once had.

The report made for grim reading. Over two hundred and fifty military and clerical service personnel killed, wounded or missing, the regional commander dead, several high-ranking officials including General Tarquin killed in action, the building itself nothing but a smoking ruin. Add to that the apparent total failure of their Chaos management system, Sonic and Shadow going AWOL yet again, and Agent Rouge's sudden strange turn and need to be rushed to the infirmary, and he found himself considering a very long holiday.

Thumbing his way through Rouge's report, his mind rested uneasy. He may not have always seen eye to eye with Sonic and especially with Shadow, but he would never have believed they could be capable of something like this. He still didn't believe it, but he couldn't argue with the evidence before his own eyes; it all pointed to them being responsible for the earlier attack on Station Square, and it would be hard to argue that they didn't have some involvement with the latest disaster. The cards were stacked firmly against the two hedgehogs.

A knock at his door made him look up from his reading, and he looked over to the oak panelled double doors. A white fox peeked their head around the door, and he guessed them to be female; after all his years on their world, he still could never be quite sure with Mobians, often using their clothing to determine gender.

"Um…" she said, "Supreme Commander? Have you got a moment?"

"And you are?" he said, furrowing his brow.

"Doctor Samuels, Sir," said the fox, stepping into the room clutching a large bundle of papers, "Kate Samuels. Head Chaos Analyst at GUN East Coast Command Centre." The Supreme Commander rose to his feet, placing his hands on the edge of the desk.

"Oh good," he said without a mote of happiness, "I was hoping someone could explain to me how your facility made such a monumental fuck-up."

"I-if I may, S-sir…"

"No, you may not!" he barked, rounding the desk and making her shrink before him, "An Omega-level Chaos entity spontaneously manifests within your laboratory, with the sensors failing to detect it until it's too late, and with the purge protocol locked down for no good reason! The damn thing escapes and slaughters most of my best men, only to be stopped by a god-damn kindergarten student! How the hell did this happen?"

"Sir," Samuels said, trembling as she made her way across the velvet carpet, "Commander Baxter…"

"Is a pile of ashes, thanks to you."

Samuels hesitated for a moment, clearly disturbed by the revelation, and from the imposing human towering over her. A lump rose in her throat, and with it her courage seemed to find her. She stood upright, staring ahead with determined eyes, but not meeting his eyes.

"Supreme Commander, Sir!" she barked, making him step back, "I wish to report that I did not leave the facility until the crisis was resolved, but stayed behind to collate all available information on the Chaos Robots before and after the crisis occurred."

"You stayed behind in that hellhole?" he asked, impressed by the seemingly timid fox's statement, "what could possibly have been so important that you would risk your life like that?"

She thrust the bundle of papers into his hands, her determined stare still straight ahead.

"Evidence," she said, "enough to prove Sonic the Hedgehog's innocence beyond all reasonable doubt."

~o~


	29. XXVII – Chaos Incarnate

** XXVII – Chaos Incarnate **

"Hurry up, Eggman," said Sonic, "we haven't got time to waste listening to your gloating. Why should we even consider freeing you?"

Eggman hovered within the blue column of light, scowling at Sonic from beneath his dark glasses.

"Listen carefully, you walking pincushions," he said, "almost everything in this installation is of my design, including Metal Shadow himself. If I can get access to the main control panel, I'll be able to shut his operation down."

"Hmph!" scoffed Shadow, "you've been outsmarted by your own creation again, Ivo. Metal Shadow will have locked you out of the system for certain."

"You don't get to be an evil genius without allowing for these things, Shadow the Traitor," said Eggman, glowering at the black hedgehog, "I have secret access codes committed to memory. There's no way Metal Shadow could have foreseen them."

"Sorry, Egg-head!" said Sonic, turning on his heel and walking away, "you'll just have to _hang around_ a bit longer. I'm not letting you near a control panel just so you can betray us. C'mon Shadow, let's hustle."

"Fine!" spat Eggman, "have it your way. But while Metal Shadow still has the Chaos-shifting data I took from Metal Sonic, you'll never be able to beat him. He can change form or switch bodies at will. In fact, how will you even know if you're fighting the real thing and not another of his infernal copies? Ohh ho ho ho!"

Eggman's laughter caught in Sonic's ear, and he stopped walking. Yet another thing to add to his list of pet hates; Eggman being right.

"Damn you, Eggman!" he said, spinning on his heel and thrusting an accusing finger towards him, "why did you even give him that ability?"

"I didn't. Metal Shadow stole it from my database after we er... had a _disagreement_ on how best to deal with you."

"You'll face justice for unleashing that abomination, Doctor," said Shadow, "after you help us defeat it."

He stepped forward, unfolding his arms and letting crimson energy surge through them. Reaching into the pillar of light, Shadow lifted the huge bulk of the doctor over his head like he was made of Styrofoam, before setting him to the floor and sliding his manacles away.

"Shadow, don't," pleaded Sonic.

"I'm sorry Sonic, but brute force and heroic resolve won't win this battle. Our enemy is using science as a weapon, so now we do the same."

"You should listen to your boyfriend, Sonic," sneered Eggman, earning him a raised eyebrow from Sonic, "don't look so shocked. Metal Shadow made me watch the whole thing, just so he could mock me with his 'victory' over you. I'm not surprised a couple of freaks like you would choose to be even more abnormal. Ohh ho ho - ack!"

Shadow's arm shot up, and he seized the doctor by his collar, dragging his head down to meet his own and leaving the rotund human bent over awkwardly, struggling against Shadow's grip.

"Listen to me very carefully, Ivo," said Shadow, in a tone so low and threatening that Sonic felt his spine tingle, "my relationship with Sonic means everything to me, and it does not concern you. Do not think yourself so indispensable that I would not hesitate for one second to end you if you should threaten it. Say one more word about it, and I will destroy you so thoroughly it will be impossible to prove you even existed. Are we clear?"

"Y-yes!" gasped Eggman, his face as white as a sheet, "I swear, no more gloating, just let me go!" Shadow released his grip, and Eggman sprang up, inhaling in relief.

Shadow brushed past Sonic without saying a word, his face like thunder. Sonic reached out to him, but he carried on into the darkened corridor. The tingle in Sonic's spine continued to quiver, fear and excitement mixing in equal measure. Listening to Shadow leap to his defence gave him a heady rush, and he found the tone he took both terrifying and scintillating at the same time.

And he liked it.

~o~

* * *

The door to the control room slid open with a self-satisfied hiss, and the two hedgehogs leapt through, ready to fight.

The small circular room lay empty, silent but for the gentle hum of power running through the place.

"Huh, guess Metal Shadow's gotten out of Dodge," said Sonic.

"Don't be so sure of yourself, hedgehog," said Eggman as he lumbered into the room, "he'll be planning to strike back at you, I guarantee it."

Eggman took a few steps into the almost pitch dark room, before clapping his hands.

"Override Code EGGATS-2013, Doctor Ivo Robotnik Authorisation level 4."

The chamber filled with yellow light, and every screen and panels sprang to life, beeping and whirring while tiny lights flashed across the myriad of buttons.

"Honestly," sighed Eggman, "why does every aspiring villain have to go overboard on the mood-lighting? A poorly lit work environment will only lead to bad eyesight in the long run."

"Can we get back to the matter in hand?" said Shadow. Eggman walked up the steps to take a seat in the leather chair, stroking his hands across the control panel.

"Ah, it feels good to be back in the driving seat," he said, grinning.

"Shadow, look!" cried Sonic, pointing to an empty cavity in the wall, "the Emerald's gone!"

"No surprise Metal would take it with him," said Shadow, "although I dread to think what he will do with it. Ivo, can you shut Metal Shadow down remotely?"

"Don't rush me!" barked Eggman, "I'm working on it now. Hmm, my access codes may have worked, but that blasted robot's changed some of my security settings. I'll have to create a new program from scratch to gain full control of the system. It'll take some time, so you two will need to keep him occupied."

"How are we going to do that if we don't even know where he is?" said Sonic.

"Get the camera feed up, Ivo!" said Shadow.

Eggman grumbled to himself as he pressed some buttons, and after a moment of scrutiny, Shadow pointed to one of the screens.

"There he is!" he said, "where is that?"

"That's the Badnik processing plant," said Eggman, "Sub-Level 3. You better get down there fast! I'll activate the lights to guide the way for you from here while I work on shutting everything down."

"Did somebody say fast?" said Sonic, smiling his cocky grin, "c'mon Shadow, there's no time to lose!"

In a flash of blue he vanished down the only lit corridor, and with a grumble Shadow took off after him. Seeing them go, Eggman turned back to the control panel, sliding open a deep drawer. Slumped within lay the deactivated forms of Orbot and Cubot. Eggman reached down to lift Orbot from the drawer, grinning to himself wickedly and suppressing a diabolical chuckle.

"That's what you think Sonic. I'm afraid it really is time for you to lose."

~o~

* * *

Sonic and Shadow skidded to a halt. They stood upon a metal gangway overlooking a vast chamber glowing red with heat. Below them, row upon row of production lines whirred frantically, machines billowing steam and sparks as an endless stream of spindly silver robots poured out along conveyor belts. In the centre of the room, in a wide empty space, mechanical claws arranged the finished robots in neat formation.

"Sweet Gaia!" cried Sonic, leaning over the railing with his eyes wide, "there must be thousands of those damn things!"

"Look up there!" said Shadow. Along the ceiling a large silver capsule slowly shifted along a rail, moving into position above the assembled ranks of silver soldiers.

"What is that?" asked Sonic. Before Shadow could answer, the capsule ceased its movement and began to unfold like a blooming flower. In the centre of the sinister metal contraption, a large claw lowered the orange Emerald, still entangled in wires, to rest above the robots below.

Another grinding sound echoed through the open space, and a platform slid into view from a hatch in the rear wall, suspended from the ceiling rail, with Metal Shadow stood proudly upon it.

"I'm done playing mind games with you, Sonic!" he bellowed in robotic fury, "This could have been avoided, you know; it could have stayed between the three of us, if you had only submitted to my dominion. Now you're going to watch your beloved world burn."

The robot hedgehog waved his hand, and the Emerald began to hum, the orange yet blue light emanating from it growing brighter by the second. Below it, the robots began to warp and shift, new colours appearing within their semi-liquid forms as a wave of transformation swept through them. When it was over, the ranks of robots had divided neatly down the middle; half of them took the form of Sonic, the other that of Shadow.

But the transformation didn't stop there. The light of the Emerald intensified, saturating the air itself with its alien hue, and the hum grew to deafening levels. Another wave swept across the doppelgangers, lighting each one with yellow flame and twisting them into monstrous super forms with swirling eyes and jagged teeth.

Above them the ceiling whirred and clanked, and daylight began to stream in through the open hatches. At once the Supers began to launch upwards in a column of fire, disappearing into the ceiling.

"I want you to remember this, Sonic," said Metal Shadow, "As the Federation burns to the ground, I want you to remember that your stubborn refusal to surrender caused this."

"Metal!" yelled Shadow over the din, "you can't do this! The Emerald can't handle the energy drain needed to generate so many Super forms!"

Metal Shadow ignored him, too consumed with evil laughter. Shadow turned to face Sonic.

"Sonic, come on. We need to get out of here, now!"

Sonic stood frozen to the spot, his hands gripping the railing tightly. His eyes were stuck wide open in terror as the Super Hedgehogs took flight.

"There's nothing we can do," he said weakly, "how can we fight this?"

Shadow wanted to punch him for caving in to the pressure, but stopped himself. His own heart sat uneasy, as much as he hated to admit it, Sonic was right.

"If Eggman's led us down here to die," he said, "I'll kill him!"

~o~

* * *

In the control room, Doctor Eggman impatiently tapped his fingers against the leather chair. Beside him Orbot stood, a cable running from his head into a socket on the console, his eyes whirring and his mouth pulsing with light.

"Come on, come on," said Eggman, "lousy operating system. Why didn't I stick with version 7?"

"Download complete," said Orbot, "all data copied."

"It's a good thing you've got such a big head," said Eggman, unplugging the cable, "it's time to blow this joint, before it blows us. But first, a little going away present for Metal Shadow."

His fingers rapidly tapped across the keys, and the screen flashed with figures and code.

"You may be using the Emerald in your chassis to protect yourself from remote interference, but I can still show you what happens when you double-cross Dr. Eggman!" he yelled, pressing the 'execute' button with all his gusto. The busy screen flashed to black, its data replaced by a single message flickering in large red letters.

**ALL LIFEFORM DATA DELETED**

~o~

* * *

"Snap out of it, Sonic!"

"It's no use... It's no use..." Sonic mumbled, not turning away from his trance.

Shadow's whole body tensed up. He couldn't stand seeing Sonic looking so helpless, and wanted to bang his head against the railing and knock some sense into him. Instead, he seized Sonic's head, turned it towards him, and planted a kiss firmly on his lips.

Sonic shook his head as Shadow pulled away, his trance broken.

"Wha...?" he muttered.

"Let's go, Sonic!" yelled Shadow, and determination returned to the blue hedgehog's face.

"I'm with you, Shadow, let's run!"

"Run?" Shadow heard his metal counterpart shout, "Run?! Where will you run to? Nowhere is safe from me. I am the master of Chaos, I am the Ultimate Lifeform, I am -"

One of the Supers veered wildly off course, crashing into a wall and collapsing to the ground. A flash of yellow enveloped it, and it became the spindly silver robot it originally was. Moments later another dive-bombed into destruction.

"No!" cried Metal Shadow, "what's happening?"

All across the factory the Super Sonics and Shadows plummeted from the air, and those waiting on the ground collapsed were they stood, leaving nothing but a smouldering pile of silver corpses.

"Eggman..." said Shadow.

"Darn, now I owe him a debt," said Sonic, "that sucks."

"This can't be happening!" said Metal Shadow, looking at his fallen creations in despair, "This can't be happening!"

"Ha!" shouted Sonic, "sucks to be you, pal! The puppet master just had his strings cut!" He held his hand up for a high five, which Shadow reluctantly reciprocated with a heavy sigh. Any elation Shadow felt fell short when an alarm and computerised voice began to screech all around them.

**WARNING. CHAOS ENERGY REACHING CRITICAL LEVELS.**

"Metal!" Shadow yelled at his counterpart again, "shut it down now! The Emerald's destabilizing from the stress you're putting it under. It'll shatter and take this whole place with it!"

"No!" said Metal Shadow, moving his platform closer to the Emerald, which pulsed with sickening hues, ringing with a piercing whine, "It's not over yet, I can still..."

**WARNING. CRITICAL LEVELS REACHED. LOCALISED REALITY FRACTURE IMMINENT.**

Shadow wasted no more time or words. He seized hold of Sonic's wrist and sped off along the corridor leading out of there as fast as his skates could carry him. Behind them the roar of the Emerald reached dizzying heights, before falling silent.

Moments later a deep rumble shook the ground beneath them, and a wall of dazzling orange-blue fire began to chase them along the corridor. Shadow sped through winding corridors, taking ninety degree corners at such speed that anyone other than Sonic would have been shorn in two. Rapidly accessing his memory to map out the escape route, he soon found himself staring down a long corridor with a tiny sliver of light at the end.

The ever-expanding wall of fire nipped at his heels, having caught up due to the winding route he had to take. He and Sonic ran side by side, both of the pushing themselves to the limit to escape the inferno. Shadow forced as much energy as he could into his boots, and began to fly horizontally along the corridor, dragging Sonic along with him through the air as his shoes blazed with fire. The door was almost upon them, and the smell of damp grass filled Shadow's nostrils. They were almost free.

A shockwave hit them from behind, thrusting them forward through the air and face down onto the wet grass. Shadow rolled onto his back, expecting to see the swirling fire about to engulf him. Instead, the fires retreated at a frightening pace, imploding inwards with a howling wind. The temple began to crack, great chunks of stone groaning as they were ripped apart by the maelstrom. The huge structure came crashing down with a roar, swallowing the hedgehogs in a cloud of dust.

When it had cleared, nothing remained of the grand structure except a smouldering pile of rubble.

"Well," said a voice from behind them, "that was impressive. You do have a knack for destroying my stuff in style." Shadow span around to see Eggman hovering behind them in one of his egg-mobiles, Cubot and Orbot perched by his side.

"Eggman!" said Sonic, leaping to his feet, "you escaped."

"Indeed I did," said Eggman, "fortunately I always keep a spare Egg-mobile lying around, in case of emergencies. Like when your allies leave you behind to die."

"We were allies by necessity," said Shadow, "you did the same to us. I suspect you expedited the Emerald's destabilization as well."

"Guilty as charged," said Eggman, placing his hand to his puffed-out chest, "I hoped you might not make it out in time, but alas, I find myself owing you my thanks instead. Not only did you help me take care of that maniacal robot, but you also allowed me to steal all the lifeform data he had acquired for myself. Rest assured, I'll put it to much better use than his petty grudge."

"Don't be a fool, Ivo!" said Shadow, "You've seen what that data can do in the wrong hands."

"Sorry Shadow, but I'm afraid this victory belongs to me. I'll be seeing you around soon, hedgehogs," he said, and laughing out loud he steered his craft into the azure sky, disappearing over the horizon in a trail of rocket fumes.

"Damn," said Sonic, "old Egg-face got away again."

"Never mind him," said Shadow, "at least he's predictable. We'll be ready for him when he shows up again."

"You're right," said Sonic, gazing over to the pile of rubble, "at least we stopped Metal Shadow. Shame about the Emerald though."

"It'll reform eventually. Strange things may happen in the meantime, with all the Chaos Energy floating about unchecked."

"Sorry I froze up in there, Shads," said Sonic, pensively looking at the floor, "that smackeroo you planted on me was just what I needed."

"Think nothing of it, Sonic," said Shadow, "I'd never pass up an opportunity to kiss you."

"How about now?" Sonic said, approaching him with glowing cheeks, "I find they're somehow all the more rewarding when you've narrowly escaped death." Shadow put his arms around him, and they began to move closer together.

Before their lips touched, the sound of falling stone made Shadow freeze. Slowly, the two hedgehogs turned their heads to face the remains of the temple.

Something was moving underneath the stones, causing them to tumble down the pile in ever-increasing quantities. A large stone shifted, and the something clawed its way out from the smoking debris.

"Oh, for Gaia's sake," said Sonic.

Metal Shadow stood before them, his black metal glowing white, tongues of fire licking across his chassis. His muzzle warped and shifted, revealing metallic silver teeth that whirred like a buzz saw, and his eyes flickered with thick crimson spirals. His chest cavity had imploded, and within the red Emerald lay entangled in blood-coloured wires, pulsating like a real heart and dripping scarlet oil.

"Now you should be scared, Sonic!" he howled with a voice brimming with layers, "I have become Chaos incarnate!" He leapt from the rubble, landing between them with a crimson shockwave, knocking them off their feet.

Before either hedgehog could leap to their feet, Metal Shadow's arms stretched towards them, growing longer seemingly from nothing. His silver hands, grown large enough to enclose their whole body, wrapped the needle-like fingers around them, holding them both in front of him.

"Should have made things easy for yourself, Sonic!" Metal Shadow hissed through jagged lips, "should have submitted to me, and allowed me to slowly break you like I wanted. Now you're going straight to the deep end!"

He held up to needle-like fingers to Sonic's eyes, and Shadow thrashed against the metal hand that held him, desperate to save his love, but the strength of his foe dwarfed his own, and his Chaos powers fizzled out before the surging entity. From the fingers two jets of red lightning penetrated Sonic's eyes, and the blue hedgehog screamed in terror.

Shadow's heart was in his mouth, and tears streamed from his eyes. Sonic spasmed under the assault, his saliva foaming through clenched teeth. After a few seconds, although it felt like hours to Shadow, the assault ceased, and Metal Shadow dropped Sonic's limp form to the grass.

"What have you done to him?" bellowed Shadow. Sonic lay on his back, eyes frozen open, rocking his head from side to side with his tongue lolling out.

"Something I should have done a long time ago," said Metal Shadow, "just a little Chaos delirium, strong enough to induce permanent insanity. It's not as satisfying as watching him drive himself to despair, but given the circumstances, I'll have to make do."

"You monster!" screamed Shadow, "I'll fucking kill you for this." To his surprise, the giant hand released him, setting him down on the grass and returning to normal size.

"You've wanted to challenge me head on for some time, Shadow," said Metal Shadow, "looks like you finally got your wish."

"I'll make you wish you were never built," spat Shadow, dusting himself off.

"It's time I showed you what you've forgotten, Shadow; I'll show you what it means to be the Ultimate Lifeform. The prize for this battle is nothing less than Sonic's soul."

~o~

 


	30. XXVIII: Inside My Haunted Head

** XXVIII: Inside My Haunted Head **

A gentle breeze whispered across his face, cool air tickling his nose and stirring him awake. Sonic peeled his eyelids open slowly to see blue drapes fluttering in the wind. Golden light streamed through the open window, and Sonic slowly lifted himself onto his elbows.

This was his bedroom. There could be no mistaking the cobalt blue walls and red carpet, the dirty gloves and socks tossed haphazardly at the laundry basket with only a modicum of accuracy, or the wall of photos, newspaper clippings and accolades for his heroic deeds.

Sonic smiled a little to gaze upon his wall of fame again. He may not have been interested in the material rewards of heroism, but he loved the attention and fame it brought him.

But as he considered the room around him, he also considered how he had ended up back at home. He wondered if the past few days had been nothing but a feverish nightmare induced by one too many chili dogs.

The thought of those delicious dogs made his stomach growl, and his mouth watered in anticipation. Leaping off the bed, he slipped on a fresh pair of gloves and sneakers and headed for the door, almost dragged along by his ravenous stomach. He would worry about the hows and whys of his situation after he got some food inside him.

As he reached for the door handle, something caught the corner of his eye. He turned his head to the corner of the room where his full length mirror usually stood.

An old white sheet, caked in dust and cobwebs, hung limply over the whole thing, looking like a tall ghost doing a poor job of haunting him.

"That's weird," Sonic said aloud, "why's that covered up?"

He approached the sheet, ready to throw off the dirty covering. He needed that mirror to make sure he didn't have bed quills, or anything stuck in his teeth. He may have been a slob when it came to laundry, but no-one would ever catch him looking anything less than spectacular.

But with each step he took he felt his heart grow faster, his breath grow louder and dryer, and his fur tingle across his skin. For some reason, his nerves rose and rose in fear with every cautious movement towards the covered mirror. He reached out, his trembling hand mere inches from his goal.

The sound of the door opening downstairs startled him, and he span around, all thought of the mirror rapidly vanishing from his mind, replaced by a new and exciting conclusion.

"Tails!" Sonic cried, rushing to his door and throwing it open. He dashed for the stairs, leaping onto the handrail and sliding along the polished wood. Landing with a thud at the bottom, he looked up, his body quivering with excitement at the thought of seeing Tails again.

The person standing in the porch did not resemble Tails. A male Mobian hedgehog stood before Sonic, looking at him with green eyes and a self-assured grin. In the cool darkness of the porch Sonic could still make out the colour of the male's fur.

Blue.

"Hi Honey, I'm home!" said the other Sonic.

"Oh, no... not again," sighed Sonic, his heart grinding to a petrified halt, "not _you_."

"Is that anyway to greet your husband, Sonic?" said the other as he took a few steps towards him. Sonic tried to run, to turn and flee from the exact double, but his legs didn't respond. He felt rooted to the spot, and could only look down at his right hand.

A simple gold band with a sapphire inlay wrapped itself around his ring finger.

"What?!" said Sonic, "that wasn't there before!"

"Of course it was, sweetheart," said the other Sonic, holding up his hand to show a matching ring, "we've been together two years now, remember?"

"Wha-? Two-? Swee-what now?" Sonic could only blather incoherently as the other Sonic slowly wrapped his arms around his waist, pressing his identical body against him. Something in his mind began to unravel; he _had_ been married for two years. How could he have forgotten that?

The other Sonic moved his lips closer, and Sonic received them instinctively. The kiss felt sloppy, with the other's tongue trying far too hard to dominate his mouth in a display of overt passion. Not like the simpler and controlled but no less intense kisses of... his mind went blank. He was sure he had kissed someone else, but couldn't recall the name or the face.

"Wait, wait, wait," Sonic said as he pulled away from the kiss, "I'm married... to myself? That makes no sense whatsoever."

"Of course it does," said the other Sonic, releasing the cuddle and heading over to the sofa, "who else would be good enough for you?"

Sonic glanced around the living room. All around him the walls were covered with photos of two Sonics, laughing in holiday snaps, smiling for selfies and dressed in expensive suits for what must have been their wedding day.

"This is crazy!" said Sonic, "you must be another one of those robots, trying to trick me again."

"I'm the real deal, make no mistake" said the other Sonic, "I'm Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog. Remember?"

The unravelling sensation again, like something was pulling at the threads of his memory.

"Yes..." he said without meaning to, "you are." He shook his head briskly, trying to dispel the strange sensation.

"Where's Tails?" he asked in an attempt to re-establish his focus.

"He moved back to Mystic Ruins when we got married, remember?"

There it was again, the threads moving though his mind, reminding him of Tails' moving out. How they had tearfully hugged goodbye. How they drifted apart as he settled into marital bliss. How none of it was true.

"No, hold on, wait," said Sonic, pushing back against the memories, "you're doing that thing where you say something and I start to believe it. Stop playing games with me!"

The other Sonic smiled at him with cocky self-assurance, and Sonic recoiled. That face oozed with a smug sense of superiority that made Sonic's skin crawl.

"Don't smile at me like that," said Sonic. The other Sonic stared at him, his arrogant face unchanged.

"Don't smile at me like that!" barked Sonic, feeling the tension rising within him, "it looks awful. Like you think you're better than everybody else!"

"But we are better than everybody else," said Other Sonic, "no one is faster or more skilled or more heroic than us. We can do anything we want, and no one can stop us."

"That's not true," said Sonic, "there is someone who can match me... us, whatever."

"Who's that then?"

"Er... I don't remember." His mind had gone blank again, and he struggled to reach the memory of... what's-his-name. Other Sonic continued to smirk.

"See? I told you we were the best at everything," he said. Sonic wanted to punch the guy, but he knew everything his mirror image said was merely something he had thought at one time or other, and that the hated smirk was simply a reflection of his own face.

_Reflection._ The word bounced around in his mind accompanied by another; _Mirror._

Sonic looked up at the wall behind the sofa, expecting to see the little round mirror usually mounted there. Instead, he saw another dusty white sheet draped over it, just like his bedroom mirror.

"Why is that mirror covered?" he demanded.

"Oh, never mind that," said Other Sonic, but the real Sonic ignored him, striding around the sofa to the wall. As he reached towards the dirty cloth, the same sensation of nervousness crept into him, sending his heart into overdrive.

A slender pair of arms sliding around his waist from behind made him flinch, and Other Sonic began to slowly kiss against his neck. A tingle shot along Sonic's spine, and he found himself enjoying the sensation, despite the surreal nature of having it done to him by himself.

"Leave that alone," said Other Sonic, "I can see you're feeling tense, honeybun. Let's go upstairs and... blow off some steam."

Sonic span around, facing his double with a mix of confusion and excitement running through his veins.

"You mean... have -"

"You like it when we do that, remember?"

"Yeah…" Sonic said, slowly grinning, "I do, don't I? Let's go for it! I'll show you – no wait, no!" He brusquely pushed Other Sonic away, before turning away and heading for the front door.

"Where are you going?" called Other Sonic from behind him.

"I need to get away from you!" barked Sonic, not turning around to see him, "I don't know what you are, but I can't be around your mind games anymore!"

He threw open the front door and strode through with his head held high, stopping as soon as he crossed the threshold. He was still in the porch, except now he faced the other direction, looking into the house. Behind him the front door stood firmly shut.

"What the -?"

From inside the house he heard the sound of somebody sobbing. Cautiously he crept back into the living room, where the light had gone from golden morning brilliance to muted, sunken gloom. In the centre of the room, Other Sonic sat slumped, hunched over his knees with tears streaming down his muzzle.

"What the heck is going on?" Sonic said aloud, "Er… are you okay… buddy?" He kicked himself mentally; he knew he was a sucker for the crying trick, and half expected more doppelgangers to leap out and ambush him.

"Everyone's gone…" sobbed Other Sonic, "I drove everyone I loved away from me. Tails, Amy, Knuckles… even you. All because I tried too hard to be adored. This constant need to be the Hero, it's too much. It's all too much."

Sonic crept closer towards his other self, ignoring the voice in his head screaming at him to turn tail and run.

"Do you know what it takes to be a hero?" continued the double, "the part of yourself you have to give up? How far do you have to go to keep the world safe?"

Other Sonic held up his hands, and Sonic gasped when he saw the white gloves dripping with crimson. Slowly the other rose to his feet, before rounding on Sonic with a ragged face stretched into anguish.

"Look what I had to do!" he shrieked, advancing on Sonic and forcing him to back away with his hands raised in surrender, "They're dead! I as good as killed them all! Their blood is on my hands!"

Sonic could find no words to placate the hysterical hedgehog, instead rapidly retreating until he stopped against something solid. He pressed his back up against the front door, and Other Sonic seized him by his shoulders, shaking him rapidly and banging him against the wood, howling in sorrow like a wounded animal.

Sonic shoved the distraught hedgehog backwards, and without hesitation he turned and threw open the door, leaping through the threshold and hearing it shut behind him, cutting off the agonised wailing.

Once again, he stood within the porch. Before he could get his bearings, a crash rattled out from the living room.

"What now?" he said as he entered the house. Glass crunched underneath his feet, and a scene of devastation lay before him, illuminated by the glow of a blood-red sunset. The coffee table had been smashed to smithereens, and the sofa lay torn and shredded, its material scattered across the room. The TV unit had become a pile of splinters, and the TV itself lay on the floor with a crack across its screen. From the kitchen he heard a shout, before something flew from the doorway and smashed against the opposite wall.

Other Sonic emerged from the kitchen, kicking some pile of detritus across the floor. His face flushed crimson, he clenched his teeth together and bared them, snarling savagely.

"Argh!" he growled, "Fucking waste of space 'friends' whining to me with their annoying problems! I can't be everywhere at once! Why does everyone want me to fucking babysit them all the time!"

He punched a nearby wall, leaving a dent in the plaster, before shouting at the ceiling.

"Hey man," said Sonic, "take a chill pill! You're out of control!"

Other Sonic shot a fierce glare at him, and Sonic needed no further prompting. As his savage other self lunged at him, he spun on his heel and sprinted for the door, casting himself through it again.

He landed squarely on his front in the porch once more, and dusting himself down he muttered to himself.

"This is starting to piss me off," he said, "it's like a psychiatrist's wet dream. What's this version of me going to be? Jealous Sonic? Greedy Sonic? Sleepy, Happy, Grumpy, Snow Chaos-damned White?"

He marched into the living room, once again bathed in golden light. Other Sonic sat on the sofa, and calmly turned his head as Sonic entered.

"Had fun?" he said, still smirking. Sonic's blood rose at once at the sight of that smile, but he felt a calm overtake him; at least the first version of him wasn't crazy, just irritating.

"Just what is going on here, buddy?" demanded Sonic.

"Sonic, can I ask you something?" his double said, his smirk unfaltering, "where exactly do you think you are?"

"I… I really don't know," said Sonic, letting his shoulder slump, "I thought I was in my house, but then you showed up, and the front door leads to crazy places with crazy other versions of me in them. I don't even know how I got here, I remember… I remember being in a jungle or something with… that guy I can't remember. It makes no sense."

"It's alright, Sonic," said Other Sonic, who had appeared beside him without Sonic seeing him move, "I know it's confusing, but if you stay with me, everything will be okay." He ran his hand gently through Sonic's quills, and Sonic quivered slightly as his soft touch, a cool release of tension unwinding through him. But as soothing as it was, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing, something that would clear the fog of his mind.

The mirror.

"Why are all the mirrors covered?" he said, breaking away from the other him, "what are you trying to hide?" He marched over to the round mirror beneath its dust sheet, trying to push through the feelings of unease that prevented his hand seizing hold of the white cloth.

"Sonic, don't," said Other Sonic, who had appeared without warning in front of him and grabbed his wrist, "it really isn't important."

"What will I see if I take that cloth down? Tell me!" He spat the last words out quickly, and the other Sonic flinched. Sonic recoiled in response; the hedgehog opposite him cowered before him, but his face didn't shift from that self-assured smirk. Sonic felt his irritation bubbling within him.

"Stop smiling like that!" barked Sonic, and the other flinched again with no change in expression. The sight of that arrogant smile pushed his rage further and further into his chest.

"I said stop it!" yelled Sonic, "why can't you do anything you're told?"

"I'm sorry, Sonic my darling. I didn't mean to upset you." said his doppelganger. As he spoke Sonic's jaw dropped open; the other hedgehog's mouth did not move as he spoke, instead remaining completely static in that hated expression. Sonic's anger surged into his face as a fiery heat, and he felt his muscles explode with tension.

"I said… STOP!" Sonic bellowed, swinging his fist towards the other him. He felt the solid impact of his double's face against his fist, and the sound of flesh compacting against bone echoed through the room. Other Sonic began to fall in slow motion, with Sonic's own anger leaving him as he watched him topple.

No sooner had he hit the floor when everything changed.

Laying at his feet he saw his copy, but it did not lie flat on a carpeted floor, instead it propped its head against something. Sonic looked around to see that he no longer stood within his living room. The room had become a small café ravaged by destruction. The windows had caved in, tables and chairs lay in splinters across a water-soaked floor, and in the distance he could hear the sound of sirens.

"Oh no," he said, his heart rising into his mouth, "not here, not again." Sonic felt a heavy weight in his hand, and he held up the mangled, bloody remains of the iron cooking pot. Below him the other Sonic laid, its face completely smashed beyond any hope of recognition. Sonic quickly released the pot, letting it scatter across the floor as his whole body trembled in fear.

All those feelings he felt back then; the guilt for having taken a life, the shame of losing control, it all came rushing back to him. He was back in that moment as if he had never left it, the moment he had tried so hard to forget, and the same horror that plagued him then returned tenfold, strangling his soul.

"What have I done?" he said in the same fearful intonation as he had before, his vocal cords moving of their own accord.

He turned and sprinted for the ruined door, fleeing from the painful memory out onto the streets.

Snow crunched underneath his shoes, and the tall dark shadows of trees flashed past his vision. Sonic skidded to halt in a spray of white. All around him the Cybernian wilderness stretched into endless freezing fog, the pine trees standing silently to attention in the desolation.

Without hesitation Sonic craned his neck skywards, knowing full well what awaited him.

The hanging Sonic's festooned every tree and branch as far as the eye could see, swaying softly in the almost imperceptible breeze. No mocking applause this time, only the stillness of death accompanied the ghastly mockeries as they hung, their guilt-filled messages strung across their necks.

Sonic ran. And ran. And ran. Sprinting through the woods, pushing himself to the absolute limit of his speed, he soared through the woods as if he barely touched the ground. But the woods did not end, continuing to barrel past him in an infinite sea of hangman's trees.

He skidded to a halt, panting heavily and realising the futility of his flight. This place seemed to have a mind of its own, sending him where it wished. He told himself that if he could only find the thing he was missing, he could find a way out, but he didn't even know what that thing could be.

Behind him he heard voices in the stillness, and he turned around. A gathering a people stood in the clearing, and Sonic's heart skipped when he recognised them.

"Knuckles!" he cried, running towards them, "Amy, Rouge, everybody! I'm so glad I found you."

None of the people gathered there paid any attention to him, and Sonic stopped when he saw what they were doing. They gathered around a rectangular hole in the ground, some of them weeping, others sombrely staring into space, and all of them wearing black.

"What's going on?" Sonic asked.

"Dearly beloved," a robotic voice spoke up, and Sonic noticed someone new standing over the hole, dressed in the priestly robes of a Gaian minister. The priest had black colouring with red stripes, and eyes that formed a black void pierced by crimson light.

"We are gathered here today to commit the body of our dear friend to the soil," said Metal Shadow, "let his form return to the womb of Gaia, there to be reborn anew through her blessing and the eternal power of Chaos. Gaia is life, Gaia is love."

"Gaia is life, Gaia is love," chanted the crowd in a dreary monotone.

"Of course, our dear friend would still be with us," continued Metal Shadow, "had Sonic not abandoned him like a coward. Had he not decided one kind of love was more important than the other."

"That's not true!" said Sonic, creeping closer to the edge of grave, fearing to look down and confirm his darkest fear, "I'm not a coward! I would have stayed, but something pulled me away."

"What was it Sonic? Was it your own selfish desires? You _know_ the truth. You always have. See now what your actions have done!"

The crowd noticed him now, staring at him with hateful looks that split Sonic's heart in two. He couldn't help but look down into the grave.

The open casket contained the body of Tails, lying with his arms crossed, his eyes frozen wide and his mouth contorted in a rictus of fear.

"Tails!" cried Sonic, his face instantly flooding with tears, "Oh, sweet Gaia, no!"

"You killed Tails!" yelled Metal Shadow.

"You killed Tails!" the crowd yelled in answer.

Something shoved him from behind, and he toppled forward onto his friend's corpse. The body was stiff and cold to the touch, but Sonic still clung to it, weeping into the orange fur.

"I'm sorry, little buddy!" he sobbed, "I'm so sorry!"

Arms burst through the soil all around him, and the casket began to shift under the upheaval, the arms clawing their way to the surface, revealing pale Mobians with hollow black eyes and blood-red irises. Sonic froze in terror, clinging to Tails' body; he recognised some of the Cybernian villagers squirming in the mud. More and more of the zombie things clambered through the soil, piling on top of him and dragging the coffin further into the grave. From nowhere above him more earth began to pile on top of them all, suffocating him in an avalanche of bodies.

He opened his eyes to look at Tails one last time. Crimson eyes stared back at him.

Sonic screamed.

~o~

* * *

A gentle breeze whispered across his face, cool air tickling his nose and stirring him awake. Sonic peeled his eyelids open slowly to see blue drapes fluttering in the wind. Golden light streamed through the open window, and Sonic slowly lifted himself onto his elbows. The other Sonic sat on the edge of the bed, gently stroking his hand across Sonic's forehead.

"Shh, shh, shh, easy now," the other Sonic cooed, "you were just having a nightmare, but it's over now. I'm here."

Sonic sat up, instinctively wrapping his arms around his other self, shivering from his cold sweat and burying his face in the warm blue fur of the other hedgehog.

"There, there," said Other Sonic as he rubbed Sonic's back, "you're safe here with me. No need to worry."

Sonic felt himself relaxing, his heart settling back to its normal pace after the terror of the dream, but as he opened his eyes he saw his mirror, standing in the corner under its morose cover.

"The truth…" he whispered, "something missing…" Gently pushing his double aside, he rose to his feet and strode across the room towards the sheet. The nervous feeling that pushed him back and slowed him returned, but he pushed through his fear. Whatever he was missing, somehow he knew the answer lay beneath that ragged cloth.

"Honey?!" said Other Sonic, appearing between Sonic and his goal, with arms outstretched, "why are you bothering with this again? It's not important."

"What I want to know is why you don't want me to see what's behind it," said Sonic, "I don't know what this place is, but there's something I need to get back to."

"Get back?" said Other Sonic, panic in his tone, "why leave this place? You can be happy here with me."

"I don't want you!" snapped Sonic, "I'm capable of loving more than just myself!"

"Are you though?" said the other hedgehog, his stuck-up smirk returning, "you sure about that?"

"Yes!" said Sonic, seizing himself by the shoulders, "I love Tails, and Knuckles and Amy and all my other friends. I love freedom, and running, and doing what feels right, and… and I love chili dogs, so damn much! And I love… er… I love…" He drifted off, struggling to recall the one he felt so strongly for.

"You can't even remember his name, can you?" Other Sonic sneered. That arrogance lit a fire under Sonic, and confirmed his fear that he was being manipulated. Instead of lashing out, which he had got him nowhere, he renewed his determination to find what he was missing. He shoved his doppelganger roughly to the side, and he collapsed pathetically to the floor.

The cloth over the mirror now intertwined his fingers; one sharp tug and it would free the object beneath it.

"Please," said Other Sonic, who had been reduced to tears on the floor, "don't do this. Stay here with me."

"What's the matter?" asked Sonic in a mock tone, "your minds games not working anymore? You've no power over me anymore. I've remembered what it was I've lost." He tugged at the cloth.

"No!" shouted Other Sonic.

As the cloth came away with a flourish, the room around him swept away in its entirety, taking Other Sonic with it and leaving Sonic in a featureless white void. The mirror stood before him in complete isolation.

Within the polished glass, Sonic saw another hedgehog, and his heart began to beat. Black-furred with red stripes, upturned spines and a ruby stare that sent his knees shivering.

"Hello, Sonic."

~o~

 


	31. XXIX: Brute Force and Heroic Resolve

**XXIX: Brute Force and Heroic Resolve**

The stillness of the morning in Jungle Ruin zone came to an abrupt end as a sonic boom thundered through the trees, sending brightly coloured birds screeching into the auburn sky above. Below them, Shadow the Hedgehog soared across a clearing towards his foe, the energy surging from his boots drying out the dew-soaked grass underneath.

Shadow flew forward like a heat-seeking missile, his arm outstretched towards his target. He knew he had no time to waste with his foe; he just had to end them as quickly and as efficiently as possible.

But as his hand came to within inches of Metal Shadow's crimson heart, his movement slowed to a crawl. The red Emerald within the robot's chassis pulsed with bloody light, suspending Shadow in mid-air and slowly pushing him backwards.

"It looks so much like a weak spot, doesn't it?" said Metal Shadow, "it's the first thing I would have gone for if I were in your place. But all your pragmatism won't do you any good against me."

"Enough gloating!" snapped Shadow, "Fight me!"

"As you wish," said Metal Shadow in a bored tone. A flash of crimson and a low reverb shot out from his heart, and Shadow felt a shockwave fling him up into the air. Somersaulting head over foot as he rose, he quickly righted himself as he reached the apex of his flight, and feeling his energy return to him he began to rain Chaos Spears down upon Metal Shadow, his arms moving into a blur as he unleashed the torrent of crimson lightning with pinpoint accuracy.

Metal Shadow crackled with crimson fire, not flinching from the bolts flashing against him. With a burst of speed so fast Shadow barely registered it he shot upwards, seizing Shadow by the neck with a silver claw and hurling him towards the ground. Shadow smashed into the soil by his back, his impact sending gobs of mud and grass in all directions and leaving him lying in a shallow crater.

He leapt back onto his feet, but had barely time to catch his breath before Metal Shadow descended upon him in a column of scarlet flame. Shadow dived out of the way, rolling along the grass as Metal Shadow crashed into the crater, widening it further.

Shadow now found himself next to the pile of smoking stones that was once the ancient temple. Leaping upon it, he seized a boulder, easily the size of a large off-road car, and lifted it over his head like it was made of air. Without hesitation he tossed it towards Metal Shadow. Before it reached him, a blade of crimson light bisected it, the twin halves of the rock falling away from each other to reveal the sinister robot behind, the knife of his finger outstretched.

In another flash Metal Shadow was upon the rubble, swinging a clawed hand towards him. Shadow ducked and weaved with tremendous speed as the flurry of claws danced around him. The black hedgehog attempted to manoeuvre around his foe, trying to find some opening to grab the Emerald and rip it out.

Something caught his eye; the thing he had tried to put fully out of his mind lest it interrupt his focus. On the ground nearby Sonic lay twitching, clawing at his own face and moaning incoherently.

That split-second allowed Shadow's emotions to claw their way back into him; his distress at Sonic's state and his fury towards the one who had put him there. In that moment of hesitation Metal Shadow struck with a devastating backhand to Shadow's chest. Shadow flew like a cannonball into the trees, smashing trunk after trunk of the narrow tropical plants before skidding to a halt in the undergrowth.

He staggered to his feet, clutching at his sides as pain shot through every part of him. He could feel his broken ribs sticking into him, and blood poured from his mouth as he struggled to breathe. It didn't matter to him; he would just regenerate his body in a matter of moments using his Chaos Energy.

But as he tried to manipulate his energy to heal his wounds, nothing happened. He felt no relief to the pain, and none of his cuts began to knit back together. He felt drained, thirsty, cut off from his supply of power.

"What's the matter, Shadow?" said Metal Shadow as he blazed towards him through the trail of destruction, "having trouble regenerating?"

"What have you done?" spat Shadow through a mouthful of blood.

"I'm giving you a taste of mortality, Shadow," said Metal Shadow as he came to a stop, "I'm showing you how ordinary you really are."

His hand shot out, his claw growing to envelop Shadow again, and the black hedgehog screamed in agony as the silver hand crushed his already broken body.

"You see, I knew I could never break your mind, Shadow. You're too cold and calculating; you're more like a computer than I am. Even the so-called 'love' you feel is simply a pragmatic decision, calculated to give the most favourable outcome to yourself and the world. It's nothing but an illusion."

"That's not true!" yelled Shadow, tears streaming from his eyes from the excruciating pain, "I love Sonic for who he is, not just what he represents."

Metal Shadow raised Shadow upwards, before slamming him against the ground. Shadow screamed, the agony of more of his bones breaking shooting through him, and Metal Shadow's dark laughter piercing his eardrums.

"You really are lost, aren't you?" he said, "you know I hate Sonic, but I save the greater part of my hate for you, Shadow. You who have failed to live up to your potential, you who have betrayed your very nature. You were supposed to be the Ultimate Lifeform, the greatest living being in the cosmos, but you proved yourself unworthy of that title when you chose to spare Sonic's life time and again."

"What crap has Robotnik been feeding you?" Shadow spluttered through a mouth choked with blood, "I was made to save lives, not take them! I am not a weapon! For you or for anyone else!"

Metal Shadow slammed him into the ground twice more, before hurling Shadow into the dirt. A blistering volley of punches flew out from Metal Shadow in a blur of silver, pounding into Shadow's torso. Shadow's vision went dark, his brain overloaded with signals from every part of his body screaming at him to let go and slip into darkness. When it was over, he could barely open his eyes, and none of his muscles responded when he tried to move.

"Save lives?" scoffed Metal Shadow, "if people are too weak to save themselves, they deserve to die. The weak perish, and the strong survive," said Metal Shadow, "This is the principle you should have embodied by destroying Sonic. It falls to me, the true Ultimate Lifeform, to be everything you should have been and more."

He held his hand over Shadow, his index finger extending into a silver stake hovering above Shadow's heart.

"It's a shame the Chaos Delirium won't work on you, Shadow. It would have amused me to see your noble delusions tear you apart from the inside. Never mind; a mundane death is fitting punishment enough. Are you ready to die?"

The finger drove downwards, and Shadow's heart stopped.

~o~

* * *

"Shadow!" said Sonic, "I found you!"

The mirror stood alone in the white void, and inside its wooden frame the black and red hedgehog smiled warmly back at Sonic.

"No," he said, "you haven't." Sonic took a step backwards, raising his hand cautiously.

"I haven't?" he asked.

The reflection waved his hand, and the mirror faded into rapidly vanishing smoke. In its place a solid copy of Shadow stood before Sonic.

"I'm not really Shadow," said the black hedgehog, "more of a helpful stand-in for your stubborn desire for freedom. But if you want to see me as Shadow, I won't stop you. In here, you are the master of your own fate."

Sonic took a few tentative steps towards the black hedgehog, before leaping towards him and throwing his arms around him. The familiar touch of warm fur brushed against him, and the scent; musky and masculine, filled his nostrils. The slight tingle of Chaos energy crackled against his skin, and he recognised it immediately.

"It is you!" cried Sonic, "I'm so glad to have you back." Shadow gently patted his shoulders.

"You don't have me back, Sonic," he said, "I'm just an abstract concept given form. You need to remember that if you want to get out of here."

Sonic glanced over Shadow's shoulder and around at his environment, or lack thereof. The featureless white void stretched on in every direction, although he could feel solid ground beneath his feet.

"Where _is_ here, exactly?"

"This is the inside of your own mind, or a representation of it at the very least."

"Huh," said Sonic, letting go of the hug and looking around, unfazed, "kind of empty isn't it?"

"You said it, not me," Shadow said with a grin worthy of Sonic himself.

"So... how exactly am I inside my own head?"

"You remember the red lightning that Metal Shadow hit you with?"

Sonic's mind flashed back to that moment when Metal Shadow grabbed him; the fear he felt as those needle like fingers advanced on his eyes, giving way to pain and terror as red flashes spiralled into his eyes and sent him tumbling into darkness.

"Ah, yeah," he said, massaging the pain in his temple, "that wasn't pleasant."

"It sent you into a dream-like state. It's called um... Chaos something-or-other."

"You don't know?"

"No," said Shadow, looking sheepish, "I can only express it in terms that you know, consciously or unconsciously."

"So, you're telling me things I already know?"

"Yes, except not really. There are things you know you know, and there are things you know, but you don't _know_ that you know them."

"I'm so confused," said Sonic, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah... me too," said Shadow, rubbing his head in unison, "anyway, I'm here to show you what it is you don't know that you know. I represent your desire to leave this place, to free yourself from the prison of your own mind. You took the first step yourself by finding me."

"The mirror..." Sonic said, "so what was all that weird crap I went through, with all the other me's and the... and the grave?" He shuddered at the thought of that mass grave, Tails' cold body and all those grasping mud-stained hands.

"That was the Chaos, er… thingy," said Shadow, rolling his eyes at the term, "trying to drag you deeper into yourself by playing on your emotions; your vanity, your insecurity, your pent-up anger and guilt."

"Hey!" said Sonic, "way to point out all my bad points."

"You don't get it. You overcame all those things, all those visions because none of those things mean anything compared to your desire for freedom. You long to be free, to get back to something you desperately need."

"That would be you, I guess?" asked Sonic, "make sense, I suppose. I do love you, after all."

The other hedgehog turned away, hesitating for a moment.

"Of course you do, Sonic," he said over his shoulder, "but that in itself is not enough. There's more to it than simple love. You and I have a deeper connection; you've shared something with me that no-one else could have given you."

A flash of images came rushing into Sonic's mind; a darkened log cabin, his fingers intertwined with another's, energy pulsing between them, lips crackling with energy as they touched.

"We shared Chaos energy!" he exclaimed.

"Not just shared," said Shadow, "the lines between your energy and mine are blurred. When we exchanged energy we existed as one being; both a part of us and separate at that the same time."

"So you're saying... we're linked somehow? Like we're bound together by Chaos?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying, Sonic. But then, I'm not really telling you this, you've known it all along. How else did you Chaos Control to the temple without realising it? You gained my knowledge of Chaos manipulation when we linked, and it was your overwhelming desire to be with me that drew you as close as you could safely get to me."

"So it wasn't the Emerald that called to me," said Sonic, "it was you; it was the bond we share that I felt." Shadow marched towards Sonic and gripped his shoulders tightly.

"Look at me, Sonic," he said, and Sonic stared into the other's mysterious crimson eyes, "you need to feel that desire again, to reach out and find me as you did before. Can you do this?"

"I... I think so," Sonic said hesitantly.

"That's not the Sonic I know!" said Shadow, "let me ask you again: Can you do this?"

"You're damn right I can!" said Sonic, "I can do anything!"

Shadow leant forward and kissed him on the lips. For a brief moment Sonic closed his eyes, feeling transported away from the strange place he found himself, but when Shadow pulled away he returned, and the black hedgehog stood before him with compassionate eyes.

"Remember Sonic," he said, "I'm not really here; I'm somewhere outside this place, reach out and find me."

Sonic closed his eyes and focused his thought, concentrating on the memory of the hedgehog before him, of the energy they had shared. He felt his mind probing, reaching into darkness for any sign of the one who could save him. From the black void a single shining point of crimson light called to him, and mentally he propelled himself towards it.

"Oh!" said Sonic, "I can see you! You're lying in some kind of jungle and... oh no, you're badly hurt! You've got cuts and bruises all over you... there's some kind of shadow standing over you..."

Sonic opened his eyes to find himself alone in the endless white void.

"Hey, where'd you go?" he said, "I found you, but I don't know how to get to you. Any ideas, Shadow?" No response from the emptiness.

"Helloooo?" said Sonic, "are you in here, abstract concept?" Still nothing but silence.

"Well, this sucks. My own brain is giving me the silent treatment." Sonic looked around to see white, white and more white. Looking up he caught a glimpse of a tiny point of crimson light, and his heart jumped for joy.

"A-ha!" he said, "there you are! Now, how to reach…" He jumped on the spot several times, swinging his arms in a futile effort to snatch the light out of the air, but he came nowhere near it.

"Oh come on! I'm inside my own head and I still can't fly?" Looking back at 'ground' level, he noticed something new had appeared in the void. Another copy of his bedroom mirror stood within the endless expanse of emptiness. Sonic took a few steps towards it, expecting to see Shadow again. Instead, a blue hedgehog stepped out from the pane of glass.

A blue hedgehog with black eyes, crimsons irises, and a murderous grin.

"Oh shit," said Sonic as he backed away from the twisted reflection of himself, "that's bad, that's very bad."

More mirrors appeared around him, and another Sonic stepped out of each one, wearing the exact same evil expression as the first. Sonic tried to back away, but they closed in on him from all directions.

"Okay Sonic, try not to panic," he told himself, "it's just your… your fear, or something, coupled with the Chaos thingy and trying to bring you down. It can't hurt you if you don't let it."

From below him the 'floor' burst open, and hands caked with soil began to claw their way out from the blank canvas, Mobians of all shapes and sizes, the Cybernians, pulling themselves free, snarling at him and fixing their same hollow stares upon him.

"Okay!" yelped Sonic, "definitely fear!" Realising he had no escape he put up his clenched fists.

"Bring it on!" he yelled as the robot-zombies joined the Sonics advancing on him, "you can't keep me in this place! I won't be a prisoner, not even to myself."

The horde lunged for him, and he swung his fist out towards the nearest Sonic's smug face. But his hand passed straight through like the hedgehog was made of smoke. The horde had no such problems, piling into him despite his furious punches and kicks passing through them. As they pushed him to the floor, more hands reached up from below him, seizing his ankles and dragging his feet into the white below him, the emptiness sucking him in like quicksand.

"No!" Sonic screamed, with one hand flailing above the crowd desperately trying to clutch on to anything that could save him, "I won't let you do this!"

The horde pushed down on his shoulders and the top of his head, submerging him in the white up to his knees. He felt his mind slipping away, and he stretched out his fingers, hoping, praying for a miracle.

Something took hold of his hand, gripping it firmly. With a sharp tug it yanked him clear of the white quicksand, scattering the horde of horrors away. Sonic looked up to see Tails hovering above him, his namesakes twirling furiously.

"Tails!" Sonic cried, tears of joy forming around his eyes, "what are you doing here?"

"I'm not Tails!" said the thing that looked like Tails, "I'm a manifestation of your hope and optimism, your undefeatable spirit pushing against the Chaos… thingy. Or something. I don't know, I'm an engineer, not a psychiatrist." Sonic laughed with pure happiness, and broke into the biggest smile he'd ever worn.

"I'm definitely going to need to see one of those when this is over, little buddy," Sonic said. Tails continued to lift him upward, but looking down Sonic saw two copies of himself clinging to his legs.

"Arrgh! Get off me!" yelled Sonic, swinging his legs, "Get out of my damn head!" With a sharp kick he sent the two hedgehogs tumbling back into the ravening horde clawing up at him from far below.

"Quick, Tails! Or whatever you are!" said Sonic, pointing upwards with his free hand, "take me to that crimson light!"

"Okay," said Tails, "but you realise it's not me doing this. It's your own willpower pushing you towards freedom."

"Whatever, little buddy. I just want to get out of here. My mind isn't a fun place to be, surprisingly."

As they approached the crimson light, it grew larger until it engulfed Sonic's vision completely, swirling with shining red.

"I need to tell you something, Sonic," said Tails, "or rather, you need to remember something. Remember the blue Shadow."

"Blue Shadow?" said Sonic, racking his brain from the inside, "Wait, you can't mean-?"

Sonic looked up to see Tails had vanished. He almost panicked, thinking he was about to fall, but to his surprise he hovered in mid-air.

"I get you, Tails," he said, "I'm ready to stand on my own two feet again, or whatever. I remember the Blue Shadow. I know what it means." With his mind running on overdrive, he propelled himself into the crimson light until it enveloped him completely, shouting as he did so.

"Look out, reality! Here I come!"

~o~

* * *

**Author's Note: There was a little shout-out to 'Chaos Bound' by BettyBest2 in this chapter. Hope you liked it :)**


	32. XXX – The Colour Purple

**XXX – The Colour Purple**

Stabbed through the heart, awaiting a slow, painful loss of function as the blood stopped reaching his body, Shadow felt his extremities growing number, the loss of sensation creeping along towards his head.

It was to be a conventional death, unfitting for the Ultimate Lifeform; nothing short of being blasted to atoms should have been able to stop him, maybe not even that. It was boring, mundane, mediocre.

He was dying like a normal Mobian. Just like he'd always wanted.

Shadow laughed, or tried to. The chuckles became blood-choked coughs struggling to escape lungs punctured by broken ribs and the steel spike pinning him to the floor.

Metal Shadow stood over him, twisting the deadly metal finger through Shadow's torso.

"Why are you laughing?" he snarled, baring his razor teeth, "what's so damn funny?"

"You... you are," coughed Shadow, "you don't even realise how badly you've failed. Looks like the last laugh will be mine..."

"Is that so? From where I'm standing, victory belongs to me and me alone. Sonic's mind is slipping away from him as we speak, and you are seconds from death."

"It's a hollow victory..." wheezed Shadow, "you had to cheat to break Sonic, because for all his insecurities that you tried to exploit, you ignored his biggest strength..."

Shadow pulled himself upwards, his muscles screaming in agony, all to look Metal Shadow square in his hollow black eyes.

"Sonic. Never. Gives. Up!"

"Raargh!" growled Metal Shadow, thrusting the spike further into Shadow and pushing him back down to the ground, "Sonic is finished! No-one can recover from that!"

"Maybe..." spluttered Shadow, smiling "but even so, every time you look at him, you'll remember that you had to resort to a cheap trick to win. All your cleverness, all your little scenarios and traps barely scratched Sonic. You had to cheat, and that failure will drive _you_ insane!" He broke into a coughing fit of bloody laughter, causing Metal Shadow's liquid face to shift into a grimace of rage.

"Go ahead, laugh! Let's see you how much you can gloat when you're dead!" With a swift movement he pulled his hand away, yanking the silver spike from Shadow's body. Shadow gasped for breath as the pain, previously suppressed by the pressure of the spike, flooded back into him, the gaping hole through his chest searing from exposure the open air. Shadow's mouth grasped at the air, desperate for the smallest breath, and his muscles spasmed, sending his arms grasping for the dirt around him. The edges of his vision began to grow dark, and as his eyelids slowly closed he felt himself falling into a dark hole inside his head.

Through the sliver of his eyelids he could see the red pinprick of light from Metal Shadow's eyes slowly glowing brighter, shifting from red to white to dazzling blue.

A surge of warm air washed over him, and he prised his eyelids open as far as they could go, straining through the darkness to see what it was.

Above him, a blue hedgehog levitated a few feet in the air, surrounded by a bright cobalt glow, with tongues of blue fire licking across his fur. Metal Shadow recoiled from the apparition, who turned to face Shadow, eyes surging with blinding white light and a face blazing with anger.

Shadow tried to call out to him, but no breath remained inside him, and he had no strength to lift his arm.

Sonic raised his own arm, holding his palm outwards towards Shadow. The black hedgehog gasped as a warm rush of energy poured into him, breathing life back into him and pulling him up and out of the oncoming darkness. Every part of him burned in pain, and he felt his bones moving and fusing their breaks together, his cuts sealing up, teeth re-aligning and most painful of all, his shattered heart re-growing, the hole in his chest pulling itself shut. An invisible hand lifted him clean off the floor in an aura of blue, and as it settled him to his feet on the ground he looked down to see his complete form; unmarked, whole and healthy.

Beside him, Sonic lowered himself to the floor, the blue aura fading away and the light from his eyes dissipating to reveal Sonic's natural greens.

"Sonic?" said Shadow, "How did you...?"

"No need to thank me, Shads," said Sonic, throwing him a wink, "you looked like you could use a little pick-me-up."

"Impossible!" cried Metal Shadow, "you can't be sane! I broke you!"

"Sorry, pal," said Sonic, "It'll take more than that to keep me down. I've bounced back from being burned, shocked, drowned, turned into a werehog... I even came back from the dead that one time."

"When did that happen?" asked Shadow.

"Long story," said Sonic, averting his gaze, "my point is, you can bring me down, but I'll always get right back on my feet to run another day."

"How?" said Metal Shadow, "how could you have possibly recovered from that?"

Sonic turned to look Shadow in the eyes, smiling that nurturing smile that made Shadow's heart beat ever-so-slightly faster.

"I always come back, because I always have someone who needs me."

Shadow said nothing, merely nodding quietly to Sonic. He had once thought Sonic needed him, but he knew the truth now; they needed each other.

"Are you seriously trying to tell me that 'the power of love' brought you back?" said Metal Shadow, looking down his pointy nose at Sonic.

"Wouldn't that make your rusty head just spin?" said Sonic through a barely suppressed laugh, "Love had nothing to do with it. I've discovered that I share something deeper with Shadow, something you'll never understand. That's why we're going to beat you."

"Spare me your inspirational speech!" snarled Metal Shadow, baring his silver claws stained with Shadow's blood, "all you've done is bought yourself a few more moments on this world. Moments that I'm about to cut short!"

Metal Shadow leapt towards Sonic in a flash of light, the blades of his fingers splayed into a wall of metal death. The blazing figure blasted past Sonic faster than Shadow could react, skidding to a halt in the undergrowth. In a blink Sonic had vanished, and Shadow feared the worst. To his surprise, Metal Shadow stood dumbstruck, looking at his hands in confusion.

"What?" he said, "how-?"

A blip of blue light flashed behind Metal Shadow's head, and Sonic appeared suspended in the air, delivering a driving kick into the back of Metal Shadow's head and pushing off into a backflip. Metal Shadow flinched forward, before spinning around to swipe at the air.

Sonic blinked out of sight again in a blip of light, reappearing moments later behind Metal Shadow, this time driving both legs into the robot's back and making him stagger. Before Metal Shadow could recover Sonic vanished again, appearing above his enemy's head with his legs splayed and swinging his fist downward onto Metal Shadow's head.

Shadow stood frozen in wonder at the display, his eyes darting back and forth to keep up with the blue blur as he rapidly teleported around Metal Shadow striking him, whilst the robot flailed wildly at the air as if trying to swat a fly away. Sonic's strikes didn't seem to be making a dent on the superpowered machine, but Sonic laughed as he spontaneously appeared and disappeared, and Shadow couldn't help but laugh with him.

"What's..." said Sonic before vanishing in a blip of blue light.

"the..." he said as he blinked back into existence in a new location.

"matter..."

"Metal-..."

"-head?"

"Can't..."

"keep..."

"up?"

Sonic's laughter stopped short when one of Metal Shadow's arms managed to connect with the blue blur, sending him catapulting into the sky and over the trees. Metal Shadow blazed with crimson fire, surging upwards, a rocket in pursuit of his quarry. Shadow's passive state broke, and channelling his renewed energy into his boots, he soared skywards to chase after them.

Another blip, and Sonic vanished again.

"Down here, ugly!" he shouted from below. Metal Shadow dropped out of the sky towards the temple ruins, smashing into the ground and narrowly missing Sonic as he rolled out of the way.

"Ha!" said Sonic, "missed me again!"

Metal Shadow stood upright, standing Sonic down like a desperado at high noon, while Shadow hovered above them, enthralled by their conflict. A beam of crimson shot out from Metal Shadow's chest, grabbing hold of Sonic and lifting him off the floor. Sonic thrashed within the pulsing beam, his face twisted up in pain.

"Enough of these games!" yelled Metal Shadow, "It's time for you to die!"

Shadow wasted no more time, propelling himself downwards towards Metal Shadow, both fists held in front of him and glowing with scarlet fury. Impacting into the robot with a sonic boom, he drove Metal Shadow into the ground in a shower of mud and grass, flipping backwards and stopping himself to levitate in mid-air.

"You will not touch him again!"

Slowly Metal Shadow telekinetically lifted himself out of the muddy hole, his limbs hanging down limply like a marionette before rising upright and turning to face Shadow.

"And you will not touch _me_ again," said Metal Shadow. The Emerald in his chest began to glow blindingly bright, accompanied by a high pitched whine. Shadow tried to dodge the red light that surged out from the Emerald, coming within inches of striking his body.

Something blue shot across his vision, intercepting the beam, dissipating both in a flash of purple light.

"What the-?"

Another whine reached his ears, and this time Shadow began to move. But Metal Shadow tracked his movement, firing the crimson beam ahead of him. Again, something blue leapt in front of the beam, blasting both away in purple flashes.

"What is this?" demanded Metal Shadow, "just let me kill you already!"

He fired another shot, then another, and another. Each time the something blue intervened, sacrificing itself to save Shadow at the last moment.

Metal Shadow snarled through razor teeth, firing up his rocket engine and preparing to leap into the air after Shadow. Something leapt onto the robot's shoulders from behind, wrapping its arms around his neck and pulling him backwards. For a moment, Shadow thought it was Sonic.

A hedgehog made entirely of shimmering blue light clung onto Metal Shadow. Another one appeared in a flash, the silhouetted form of Sonic grabbing hold of the robot's left arm. One after another they appeared, piling into Metal Shadow and holding him back.

"How do you like my new trick, Metal?" Shadow heard the voice of Sonic say. Turning towards the sound, Shadow saw Sonic standing atop the mound of rubble, glowing with cobalt light.

"Let's see how you like a taste of your own medicine!" said Sonic. He threw up his hands, and another couple of Sonic silhouettes appeared, dashing down the slope of the ruined temple to leap into the fray.

Shadow guided himself through the air, landing gently next to the real blue hedgehog.

"Sonic?" he asked, shaking his head with his jaw hanging open, "How on Mobius are you doing this? This level of Chaos Manipulation... not even I can-"

Sonic span around to face him, grabbing both of Shadow's hands and thrusting his lips upon his mouth. Shadow sharply inhaled in surprise as energy flowed into him through his face and hands. Sonic's eyes held tightly closed, but Shadow could only stare ahead in shock. The energy ricocheted around his body, empowering him with something he'd never felt, his mind swirled with new knowledge, and a tidal wave of new images and new sensations threatened to overwhelm him. Pulling away, gasping like a drowning man coming up for air, Shadow could only stare back at Sonic's strangely calm expression.

"You can now," said Sonic.

"S-Sonic?!" gasped Shadow, "What did you do? I saw-"

"I'll explain later!" said Sonic, "Just help me ice this creep!"

Below them, Metal Shadow embroiled himself in fighting the energy-Sonics. Hurling them aside, smashing them into the dirt with his fists and blasting them with crimson rays, the tide began to rapidly diminish as each Sonic exploded into a shower of blue sparks when they perished. Sonic bolted down the stones, landing on the grass below and circling around Metal Shadow at supersonic speeds. Behind him a trail of new Sonic copies appeared, instantly joining the fight and keeping Metal Shadow tied down.

Shadow held up his own hands, knowing exactly what to do, trying to ignore his own memory telling him that five seconds earlier, he didn't know it at all. Channelling his energy through his arms, he formed a perfect replica of himself in solid crimson light. With a thought he made the simulacra charge towards the fight. The sensation of being in two places simultaneously made his skin crawl, but he held up his hands again, spawning two more Shadows, then two more.

He shouldn't have been able to cope with being spread so thin, but somehow he knew how to cope. Sonic had gifted that knowledge to him, and so much more besides.

Now he was unleashing a torrent of crimson Shadows, all of whom joined the Sonics in fighting Metal Shadow. He laughed to himself; the sensation of beating on your foe with a hundred fists was not something he thought he'd ever feel. Even the strange feeling of the copies 'dying' as they fell and returned their energy to him felt exciting.

Under the combined assault of the Chaos hedgehogs, Metal Shadow began to falter, the copies forcing him down to the ground and piling on top of him. Sonic skidded to a halt, meeting Shadow's eyes and grinning.

"Keep it up, Shadow!" he shouted up to him, "we've nearly got him beat!"

In a hundred ears Shadow heard it; low, deep, grinding robotic laughter, followed by a smug voice tinged with malice.

"Have you really?"

A deep rumble shook the ground, and a wave of scarlet rushed forth from Metal Shadow, blasting the Chaos hedgehogs into the air and dashing them into sparks of blue and red light. Shadow winced as the shockwave knocked him onto his back, and he felt his constructs perishing, their energy flooding back into his body.

Looking up, he saw Metal Shadow hovering above a crater of mud, his chassis surging with white-hot flames.

"Did you really think that would stop me?" he bellowed, "You idiots! I've been in-tune with your Chaos signatures since the moment you touched that fake Emerald. I am impervious to anything you can throw at me!"

Shadow flipped himself forward onto his feet, and a blip of blue light flashed next to him, revealing Sonic, bent over and panting heavily. Metal Shadow soared towards them with hands outstretched, and crimson light enveloped them both, lifting them off their feet and suspending them both in the air with invisible grip.

"I'm ending this now," said Metal Shadow, who hovered in front of them, speaking in a sudden calm, "Give your Chaos energy to me. All of it."

A sharp pain shot into Shadow, and he threw his head back, grimacing as he felt his energy being sucked out of him directly from his heart. Tears forced their way from his eyes, and he gasped for breath as his life force left him, and beside him he heard Sonic gasping, struggling to stay alive.

"Shadow..." Sonic gasped, "take.. my... hand."

Shadow obliged, straining to extend his arm as if a heavy weight hung from it. He wrapped his hand around Sonic's, intertwining his fingers with the others soft grip.

"That's it," sneered Metal Shadow, "hold hands as you die. Remind yourself of how all your love has come to nothing."

Shadow closed his eyes, feeling the last of his strength leaving him and darkness approaching. In the blackness he imagined he saw two faces, the faces of those he loved the most. But within his hand he felt another sensation; his energy was mingling with Sonic's as it had done so many times before, except this time, it wasn't just mingling.

It was merging. Combining. Becoming something entirely new.

Shadow cried out as the new energy shot into him, re-awakening his dead muscles and firing up his blood. From his chest the crimson light began to give way to shining purple, and beside him violet light poured out of Sonic and into Metal Shadow's arm. Shadow's whole body shook with sensation, not pleasure, but a feeling he could find no sufficient words to describe, having only felt it moments before when Sonic kissed him.

He was Sonic. Sonic was him. They existed separately, and together. He could feel every atom in Sonic's body as if it was his own, and every thought running through the blue hedgehog's mind at that moment also ran through his own mind. He knew Sonic could feel the same thing, and he understood.

They were as one.

Shadow turned his head to look at Sonic, and in unison Sonic turned to look at him. Sonic's eyes glowed solid white, basking Shadow in a bright light, and through Sonic's vision he could see his own eyes blazing with the same intense radiance. Incandescent purple flames engulfed both of their bodies, spreading out from their forms and crawling along Metal Shadow's arms.

"What?!" cried Metal Shadow, sounding increasingly distressed, "What is this? How are you doing that?"

Sonic and Shadow turned their heads in unison to face him.

"You want my Chaos energy?" they said simultaneously, their voices echoing in a hollow reverb, "how about you suck on this?!"

The two hedgehogs relaxed, forcing more of their energy out of themselves and into Metal Shadow. The purple flames now enveloped his torso, and he thrashed in the air before them, unable to break the link with them.

"No!" he yelled, throwing his head about like a toddler throwing a tantrum, "You can't do this to me! I am the Ultimate Lifeform! I am the strongest, victory should be mine!"

The flames began to coalesce, becoming delicate strands of violet light entangling the robot before them. Sonic & Shadow guided the light towards the Chaos Emerald in Metal's chest cavity, enveloping the jewel in a cloud of shining purple. Focusing all their willpower towards the Emerald, they began to draw the light back towards them. The Emerald shook within its casing, causing wires to break free and viscous crimson oil to spill out.

"No!" said Metal Shadow, "No, no, no! Stop this! You can't do this! You can't!"

Ignoring his plea, the two glowing hedgehogs continue to pull against the Emerald. Sparks and blood-like oil spurted out from Metal Shadow's chassis, and the robot moaned in anguish as wires snapped and bolts broke. With a groan and screech of twisting metal the Emerald ripped from its restraints, moving to hover in front of the hedgehogs, suspended in the air by wispy purple strands of light.

"No - bzzzt!" garbled Metal Shadow, "I -bzzzt cannot LOSE. LOSE. Lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lossssssss..." His body continued to twitch in the air as the hedgehogs drew the purple energy back into themselves. The glow subsided, and Shadow felt himself returning to normal, becoming an individual person again. The hedgehogs sank gently to the ground, and Shadow released his grip from Sonic, holding out his hand to catch the Emerald as it fell.

Metal Shadow's body dropped against the stone, tumbling down the ruins, crashing against the sharp rocks and landing face down in the mud below. Sonic began to leap down the steps after it, but Shadow could only stare ahead in contemplation. As Sonic reached the bottom of the rubble, he knelt down and turned Metal Shadow's body over, wiping the mud of his face. Seeing the faint trace of movement in the robot's form, Shadow stashed his Emerald away and leapt down the stones to stand next to Sonic.

"S-sonic?" said Metal Shadow, his voice crackling with static, the crimson point of his eyes barely piercing the darkness of his eyes, "why? Why couldn't I beat you?"

Sonic looked up towards Shadow, his eyes heavy with sadness. Shadow wondered if Sonic didn't feel sorry for the robot lying pathetically in the mud with a gaping hole in its chest.

"You only understood hate, Metal," said Sonic in a solemn tone, "you can never be free so long as hate exists within you. I drew my strength from the people I love, no matter what you did to me or to them. I'll always win so long as I have something-" he looked straight at Shadow, "or some _one_ worth fighting for."

"I..." said Metal Shadow, "I can't understand that. I would if I could, but I can't feel those things. They are alien to me. They sound... wrong." Slowly he turned to look Sonic straight in the eyes.

"Are you going to kill me now?" he asked, "you are the strongest, and I am weak. It is your right to extinguish me, your fallen foe." Sonic's face grew solemn.

"Please understand, Metal," he said, "it's not because I hate you, or that I deserve to defeat you for being stronger. Even after all you've done, I'm still not punishing you. I'm doing this because it's the only way you'll ever be free."

"So, it's death, then?" Metal Shadow said with a small chuckle, "I've finally made you a killer, Sonic. I've won..."

"You still don't understand," said Sonic, putting his hand over the robot's face, "you think that only hate or desperation can drive someone to kill. You didn't know there was another way, the only thing that would make me take a life."

"What... is... that?"

"Mercy."

A pulse of blue light swept over Metal Shadow, and he slumped into the mud, the pinpricks of light in his eyes fading away to oblivion.

"It's over? We've won?" said Shadow. Sonic looked up towards Shadow, gazing through him with eyes glistening with tears.

"Sonic?" asked Shadow, "what's wrong?"

"I don't believe anyone is born evil," said Sonic, staring forlornly at the corpse of Metal Shadow, "not even people like Eggman. Our choices define who we are, in the end. Metal Shadow could only feel hateful emotions, not because he chose to, but because he was designed to feel nothing else. I feel... sorry for him; I just can't imagine the horror of having to live that way."

Sonic looked up, gazing at Shadow with distant eyes.

"Why am I even telling you this?" Sonic grunted, turning his head to face the ground, "you probably think I'm going soft or something."

Shadow hesitated. He did think Sonic was being far too sensitive, especially after all the hurt Metal Shadow had inflicted upon them. But at the same time he understood exactly what Sonic was saying; he knew the way Sonic always tried to find the best in people, even someone like himself, and that nothing broke his heart more than meeting someone truly evil.

"Sonic, can we talk? About what happened back there?" he said. Sonic looked up with a wry half-smile.

"You mean how I saved the day thanks to being completely awesome?"

"No, I mean-"

"It was simple, really," interrupted Sonic, rising to his feet, "ever since we mixed our Chaos Energy in Cybernia we've been linked together. I've been picking up your knowledge of Chaos Control this whole time, without even realising it."

"Sonic, I-"

"That's how we survived the bunker trap," Sonic prattled on, "and that's what brought me here. I followed your Chaos Signature in my sleep! How cool is that?!"

"I know-"

"What about those duplicates I created, you ask? Funny story, I created one of those back at GUN because I missed you so bad, but my brain had trouble remembering what I did, because I was using borrowed knowledge that you didn't even know you had! It took the Chaos Delirium to make me realise it, and when I kissed you, I passed that knowledge onto you! Oh, man this is just the coolest thing ever! Maybe we could -"

"Will you shut up already, Faker!" bellowed Shadow, "I know all of this already!"

Sonic's motor-mouth braked sharply, and he threw a quizzical look.

"You... know?" he said, "how?"

"Sonic..." Shadow said, gasping for breath after his outburst, "when you kissed me back there, you didn't just give me your knowledge... you gave me _everything_."

"What do you mean, everything?"

"I mean everything!" yelled Shadow, "All your memories, everything you've ever seen, every emotion you've felt. I lived your _whole life_ in that split second, all nineteen years of it."

Sonic hesitated, pursing his lips and staring ahead blankly.

"Huh?" he said after some hesitation.

"I know everything about you now," said Shadow breathlessly, "it feels incredible. To know someone so completely... I can't even find the right words. Sonic, I can trust you implicitly now."

"You didn't... trust me before?" Sonic said, trying to conceal the hurt in his voice, "I thought you loved me?"

Shadow turned away, huffing in frustration.

"I did, I mean I do," he said, "but I didn't trust anyone after what happened to me on the ARK. I suspected everyone of having an ulterior motive, of using me for their own gain or just plotting to betray me. With you..." he turned around to face Sonic again.

"I didn't trust you to control yourself. You were reckless, unstable, and you made yourself vulnerable. But I've seen it from your perspective now, Sonic. I've felt what it's like to be you. I know why you do things the way you do. It's so hard to describe it; I wish I could make you understand."

Sonic marched up to him, holding his hands outwards with a stern look on his face.

"Show me," he said.

"What?"

"Show me what you're feeling. I want to understand you. Let me live your life."

"Sonic," said Shadow, unease creeping along his spine, "you don't want that. You don't want to feel the pain I've felt."

"If you know me as well as you say," said Sonic, "you _know_ that I can handle it."

Shadow bit down on his lip, staring into Sonic's expectant eyes. His heart weighed heavily in his chest.

"Sonic," he begged, "please don't make me do this."

"Nobody should have to deal with pain alone," said Sonic, "I've been your lover, your charge and your hero. Let me be the thing you need most of all, the thing you've always needed."

He smiled his genuine smile, and Shadow felt his sadness melting away.

"Shadow," said Sonic, "Let me be your friend."

Shadow inhaled sharply, before placing his hands within Sonic's grasp. They placed their lips gently together with eyes closed, holding perfectly still, and Shadow felt his energy flow into Sonic. Sonic gasped, and a second later the energy flashed back.

"Maria!" Sonic cried, letting go of Shadow and stumbling away. He readied himself, bending down with his hands on his knees, panting heavily.

"Oh Shadow," he said, looking up, "I heard about how she died, but I never pictured it being so awful. You've lived with that hanging over you for all these years. And you... you..."

Sonic's eyes flicked over to meet his.

"You let her go," Sonic said as if he was talking to the air, "you did that... for me?"

"Sonic, I-"

"You don't have to explain," said Sonic, holding up his hand, "I won't say I agree, but I understand why you did it. I lived it."

"I know," Shadow said, idly casting his eyes to scan the ground. Knowing exactly how Sonic felt on the matter, being in touch with the subtle quirks of his personality brought guilt crawling back to him.

"Where do we go from here?" he sighed. Sonic approached him, lifting his chin gently and softly kissing his cheek.

"Home," said Sonic, "but first-" He backed away from Shadow, heading over to where Metal Shadow lay.

"What are you doing with that?" asked Shadow.

"I'm taking it back to - oof! This is heavier than it looks!" he said as he lifted the construct onto his shoulder.

"Here, let me," said Shadow, effortlessly taking it from Sonic and holding it with one hand.

"Thanks," said Sonic, wiping a spot of crimson oil from his shoulder, "I'm sure Tails will be keen to study this thing."

"Are you sure that's wise?"

"I'd rather keep this where we can see it," said Sonic, "I don't want Eggman getting hold of it. He'll probably turn the damn thing back on, it'll betray him, and we can do this all over again."

Shadow silently nodded in agreement, and Sonic took hold of his free hand.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Anywhere," said Shadow, "so long as it's with you."

Purple light began to swirl around them, and Shadow felt the pull of their Chaos Control working in harmony. Just before it completely enveloped him, something strange caught his eye, and he laughed to himself when he remembered just how Sonic had arrived here.

"And so long as we're not riding home on a toilet."

~o~

 


	33. XXXI – Second Date

** XXXI – Second Date **

A corridor without end. Twisting, turning, the ground beneath his feet shifting and rocking, throwing him off balance. A door always in sight but never getting closer, and the fear; the fear clawing at his insides, dragging him down into an abyss of terror.

Now things were different. Polished marble, ornate pillars, total silence, and something in the shadows.

They came one by one, their cold dead eyes pierced by crimson light, and a smile filled with predatory instinct. They closed around him, and his feet betrayed him, preventing him from running.

Before his eyes the blue hedgehogs began to melt, their outlines losing definition as they warped and shifted into shambling, sticky masses that barely resembled his friend. They pawed at him with half-formed hands, globs of their flesh sticking to his sweat-drenched fur.

Slowly the sea of blue parted, and bright yellow light seared his eyes. The form of Super Sonic approached him, blazing with wild fire and baring his jagged bloody teeth. Tails held up his own hands to shield his face, only to see his wrists blackened and smouldering, his orange fur burnt completely away. Tails screamed, but he could not close his eyes.

From nowhere jets of crimson lights surged into the Sonics, blasting them into dust. Rapidly they fell before the crimson onslaught, and Tails saw the figure of a black hedgehog standing before him. With a grand movement of his arms he poured crimson lighting into Super Sonic, and with a deafening roar the fiend exploded with a flash of light, returning the atrium to silence.

Now Tails lay draped in Shadow's strong arms, his arms hanging around his neck.

"Shadow," he said in a dreamy exhalation, "you saved me! How can I ever repay you?"

Shadow said nothing, instead moving his face closer to Tails' own, a longing look in his eyes. Tails slowly moved his face towards him, bringing his pursed lips ever closer until...

"Tails, wake up!"

"Huh?" said Tails, opening his eyes. Above him, the dull grey of the hospital's suspended ceiling greeted him, broken up only by the red of Knuckles, who stood over him with a concerned look.

"You okay, pal?" he said, "the way you were moaning, it sounded like you were having another nightmare."

Tails sat up quickly, turning his head away from Knuckles to hide the crimson blush as red as the echidna himself.

"Er... yeah," he said, "a nightmare. That's what it was... you definitely didn't interrupt anything nice, no sir, you did not." He chuckled nervously, and Knuckles looked at him with confusion, before shrugging nonchalantly.

"Whatever, dude," he said, "I woke you up because you have a call waiting."

"A call? From who?" Tails said, his face lighting up, "maybe it's Sonic!" He leapt over to the other side of the bed, seizing hold of the phone with his heart jumping for joy.

"Sonic!" he cried into the receiver.

"Hi Tails," came a woman's voice from the other end, "it's Doctor Samuels."

"Oh," said Tails, his heart sinking, "I mean, oh! Hello Kate! How are you?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," said Samuels, clearly flustered by Tails' enthusiasm, "How are you though? I heard you got hurt in the fighting, and I was really worried about you."

"Actually, I'm fine. I got badly burned, but then not long ago something amazing happened. A burst of Chaos Energy healed me completely. The doctors can't believe it; they're keeping me in for tests."

"I can't believe it either," said Samuels, "How is that possible? I know Chaos Energy can be applied to regenerate living tissue, but it's an inexact process, the safety of its use is still being debated. The chances of a random surge..."

"I don't think it was random, doc. I think it was Sonic."

"Sonic? But how-?"

"I don't know, Kate," said Tails, meeting Knuckles eyes, which betrayed a hidden sadness within the echidna, "I hate to be so unscientific, but I just know."

Doctor Samuels paused for a long time, and Tails wondered if she was holding back, resisting the urge to whip out her logic and crush his pseudoscientific feelings. It's what he would have done in her place; like the time he criticised Amy's tarot cards and her belief in fate when they were younger. Sonic had admonished him after she became upset and spent a long time crying on Sonic's shoulder, and after that he learned to restrain himself when faced with such things.

"Tails," said Samuels at last, "turn on the TV, if you have one. Tune in to the Channel 5 News."

"Okay," said Tails, reaching for the remote and turning on the small television mounted on the opposite wall.

On the screen, an austere-looking human with greying hair and a chiselled jaw stood behind a podium, dressed in a dark grey military uniform festooned with glittering medals. Behind him the wall displayed the GUN logo, and in the foreground journalists could be seen milling about and waving their cameras. When Tails saw the banner splashed across the screen, he nearly leapt into the air in joy.

**BREAKING NEWS: SONIC & SHADOW ACQUITTED**

"...we have received new evidence," said the GUN Commander, "that we believe exonerates Sonic & Shadow, the hedgehogs, of all responsibility for the attack on Station Square and the attack on GUN Headquarters in the city. The evidence strongly suggests Sonic & Shadow have been the victim of a malicious and calculated attempt to slander their reputations, which we believe to be beyond reproach. Therefore, we are dropping all charges."

The press began to burst into thunderous clamour.

"What about Shadow's involvement with terrorist activities in Central City?"

"Will there be any compensation for the families of those killed?"

"Who is your lead suspect now that Sonic has been cleared?"

Tails flicked the TV off, cutting the tumult short.

"This is incredible!" he said, "how did this happen?"

"No... no need to thank me," Samuels said, and Tails thought he could hear her blushing.

"You? You did this for Sonic?"

"I did it for _you_ , Tails," said Samuels, "the way you spoke about him back at the GUN base, I've never heard anyone such genuine adoration for another person in my life. I knew he couldn't be the awful person they were trying to make him out to be."

"Really?" Tails said, blushing himself, "I didn't... he's just my friend, that's all."

"Tails, people don't talk about their friends like that. You love him, Tails. In that brief time I met him, I could see it in your eyes. That's why I went back into the base when things got crazy; I had to recover my data on the Chaos Robots, so I could prove him innocent and bring him back to you."

"You risked your life for me?" said Tails, pangs of guilt tugging at him, "Kate, you shouldn't -"

"You inspired me, Tails," she interrupted, "you never gave up, even in the face of all that danger. I couldn't run away after seeing your strength. It seems only right the one who inspired that strength in you should still be around to keep doing so."

"Kate..." said Tails softly, "thank you."

"It's been a pleasure. If you're ever in Empire City, swing by GUN HQ, maybe we can catch up."

"I'd like that," said Tails, "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Tails."

The phone went dead, and Tails handed the receiver back to Knuckles.

"Isn't it great, Knuckles?" he said, "Sonic's been cleared!"

"Yeah, great..." said Knuckles, staring into space.

"What's wrong? You didn't believe he did any of that stuff, did you?"

"What? No, of course not, there was just... some other things I need to talk to him about."

"Like what?"

Knuckles stared into Tails' eyes, biting his lip and looking like he desperately needed to say something.

"Nothing," he said after a long pause, "it doesn't matter."

"Whatever, Knucklehead," said Tails, "it won't make any difference if we can't find him."

~o~

* * *

"Woah! What happened here?"

Before the two hedgehogs the facade of a concrete building lay in a grim shroud of decay. The gleaming glass doors lay in pieces, the windows had become jagged openings of shattered glass, black scorch marks adorned the walls, and yellow police tape snaked around the entrance.

"This must be the result of the attack Metal Shadow was boasting about," said Shadow.

"Looks like he wasn't pulling any punches," said Sonic. Behind the tape some police officers eyed them suspiciously, fortunately seeming to have missed their sudden arrival by Chaos Control, and nearby a digger unloaded a pile of broken silver robots into a skip.

"All this just to get at me?" Sonic said, shaking his head, "I can hardly believe it."

"Hmm," agreed Shadow, "Robotnik's gone too far this time. I hope our friends got out before things became too heated."

"Our friends?" said Sonic, turning to face Shadow with a facetious smile, "I thought I heard concern in your voice then, Shads. You really are a changed man."

"I know how much they mean to you, Sonic," said Shadow, folding his arms and trying to look stoic, "I mean, I really know. I still think of them as irritating pests who I wish would leave me alone, and yet... I love them as much as you do. This is a strange sensation; to hold two conflicting emotions about one thing."

"Cognitive dissonance," said Sonic, "Like just now; I both understand and don't understand what that means at the same time. This is going to take some getting used to. Maybe Tails can come up with some device or..."

Sonic's face dropped, becoming frozen in terror.

"Tails!" he cried, seizing Shadow by the shoulders, "where's Tails? Is he hurt? Is he trapped under some rubble or... I've left him all alone!"

"Faker!" yelled Shadow, "get a hold of yourself! We saw Tails on the monitors back when Metal Shadow tried to torture us. He's in a hospital with Knuckles, he's alive."

"But what if that was just a trick?" said Sonic, his lip quivering, "more robot duplicates trying to get me to, I don't know, attack Knuckles or something?" He let go of Shadow grabbing hold of Metal Shadow's head on Shadow's shoulder, lifting it up to look into his blank eyes.

"What do you want from me?!" he bellowed.

"Sonic, stop it!" yelled Shadow, loud enough to turn the heads of the nearby police officers. Sonic looked up in a daze, staring curiously at Shadow.

"Shadow?" he said, "are you crying?"

"What?" said Shadow, raising his hand to his eyes and feeling the previously unnoticed wetness clamming up his cheeks.

"How in the- ?" he said, "why am I crying?" Sonic regained his composure, smiling knowingly at him.

"Tails," he said, and Shadow understood.

"Damn," said Shadow, wiping his cheek, "you really have made me soft."

Shadow snapped out of his sniffling when Sonic's open palm struck him across the cheek.

"And you've made me tough," said Sonic, quickly averting his gaze, "I mean, tough-ER. I've acquired your talent of being cold and unsympathetic when the situation calls for it."

"This is just great," said Shadow, nursing his cheek, "I've got you inside me." Sonic snorted, covering his mouth to try and stifle a laugh.

"If you say so, Shads!"

"What?" Shadow searched his own feelings, allowing the Sonic part of him to comprehend the statement. Laughter swelled up within him, and his cheeks flushed red with heat.

"Oh. Double Entendre," he said tersely, suppressing Sonic's sense of humour within him, "I can see why you'd find that amusing."

"Don't sweat it, Shads," laughed Sonic, "the Shadow part of me is telling me that I'm an immature imbecile. I've got it just as bad as you."

"Great," drolled Shadow, "now we're both screwed-up in equal measure."

"Don't you see, Shadow?" said Sonic, calming himself down, "it's the best of both worlds. Whenever we feel ourselves faltering, we can find the part of the other within ourselves that gives us the strength to beat it. If I worry myself sick over Tails, I can balance it out with your cold logic. If you feel like a failure, you can call on my optimism to see how much you mean to everyone around you."

Sonic marched forward, placing his hands firmly on Shadow's shoulders.

"We don't have to look at ourselves anymore and find faults. When I look at my reflection, I won't see me anymore, I'll see you. That's what my subconscious was trying to tell me:"

"You're my mirror image, Shadow." Shadow looked up, staring into Sonic's eyes.

"You're trying to suggest we were meant for each other?"

"Don't be stupid," said Sonic through a laugh, "You know I don't believe in 'the one' or 'love at first sight.' What I mean is, if I had merged with someone just like me..."

"You wouldn't have gained any new insight," interrupted Shadow, his mind in line with Sonic's thought process, "you needed someone with a different outlook on life. I can give you that, if nothing else. I thought I understood you, Sonic. I thought I had you all figured out."

"And you were a little bit smugly proud of yourself for being so clever, weren't you?" said Sonic with a cheeky smile.

"Yes, I was," said Shadow, taking the blue hedgehog by the hand, a warm feeling rising with him, "but I've never been so glad to be proven wrong in all my life."

~o~

* * *

"I'm afraid we don't have anyone called 'Tails' checked in with us at the moment, sir."

Sonic gripped his hands against the edge of the hospital reception desk, glaring at the racoon receptionist trying to placate him, while his knuckles turned white underneath his gloves. Behind him, Shadow stood with his arms tightly folded, while Metal Shadow's lifeless frame lay propped up on a plastic chair, eliciting strange looks from passers-by.

"Calm down, Sonic," he said, "maybe they took him to a different hospital."

Sonic closed his eyes, allowing Shadow's calm demeanour to sweep into him. The tension uncoiled from his muscles as he saw the situation with Shadow's pragmatic logic instead of assuming the worst. With his mind clear, a new approach occurred to him, and he opened his eyes to smile at the racoon.

"His real name is Miles Prower," said Sonic, "M-I-L-"

"Sonic?" a voice called to him from across the reception. Sonic turned to see Knuckles staring at him in wonder, and his heart skipped a beat; if Knuckles was here, so was Tails.

"Knuckles!" he cried, walking quickly over to greet his friend, his arms outstretched to administer a man-hug. To his surprise, Knuckles huge hand seized around his neck, swinging him around and slamming him up against the wall.

"You've got a lot of nerve showing your face around here after what you've done!" barked Knuckles, his eyes blazing with anger.

"Knux!" gasped Sonic, clawing at the hand around his throat, his legs kicking futilely at the air, "What's the matter with you?"

"You abandoned us, Sonic!" yelled Knuckles, "you ran away to chase after your _girlfriend_ , while the rest of us fought for our lives! Tails almost died because of you!"

Sonic glanced past Knuckles shoulder, where the dark form of Shadow seemed to tower over the physically larger echidna.

"What are you gonna do, Shadow?" asked Knuckles, turning to look back over his shoulder, "attack me again? Is violence the only thing you understand?"

Sonic wanted to call Knuckles out on his hypocrisy, but decided he wasn't in the best position to discuss semantics. Shadow slowly turned his piercing stare to meet Knuckles own, and Sonic struggled against his grip, desperate to stop the imminent bloodbath.

Shadow slowly placed his hand on Knuckles shoulder.

"Knuckles," he said in a calm, quiet tone," Sonic didn't mean to leave you. He was captured by the same villain who attacked GUN. It was designed to get him away from where he was needed the most. He's done everything he can to ensure your safety, and to come back to you, because he loves you all. He would die before he abandoned Tails."

"Or soon after," growled Knuckles.

"He loves Tails," continued Shadow, "and he loves you, Knuckles. I hope you appreciate how special that makes you." Sonic and Knuckles began to glow bright red, looking at each other with uncomfortable aside glances. Knuckles released his grip, and Sonic dropped to the floor with a gasp.

"Shadow?" asked Knuckles, "what's the matter with you? Why are you being... nice?"

"It's a long story," said Sonic, "I'm not even sure I understand it myself."

"Well, I'm not complaining," laughed Knuckles, "maybe I might like you if you're not such a jerk. I could get used to -"

"Oh, by the way, if you ever touch Sonic like that again, I'll shove the Master Emerald into somewhere Rouge will never be able to find it," said Shadow.

"Okay, so... still a jerk?" asked Knuckles.

"It's okay, Knux," said Sonic, getting to his feet and putting his arm around Knuckles shoulder, "don't you see? It may have been a threat, but it was a joke as well. The old Shadow would have just threatened to pull off your arms and beat you to death with them. He's actually got a sense of humour now. Well, technically he's borrowing it from me."

"Huh?" asked Knuckles.

"Long story," said Sonic, rolling his eyes in a way that would make Shadow proud.

"So, who was behind all this crazy stuff?"

"Over there," said Sonic, motioning towards the chairs where Metal Shadow rested, "it's okay, it's deactivated."

"Woah," said Knuckles, bending down to examine the robot, "it's like, some kind of Metal Shadow or something. Where did it come from?"

"Eggman built it," said Sonic, "turns out he wasn't quite as dead as we thought. Metal Shadow staged Eggman's death to shift the blame onto us."

"Well, he did a good job," said Knuckles, "Even I was suspicious of you." Sonic glared at him with a sardonic expression he hoped said 'really?'

"Knuckles, you're suspicious of everybody," he said, "you think you're own girlfriend is trying to steal the Master Emerald from you."

"She is!" Knuckles snapped, quickly turning away and looking sheepish, "I mean... she's not my girlfriend."

"No," said Shadow, "that would be the Master Emerald. Trying to steal it is the only way Rouge can get your attention. It's infuriating, the amount of times she's gone running off to make a try for it when she should be focusing on her work. Maybe if you remembered to keep Angel Island's defences active once in a while she wouldn't..."

Shadow stopped, his accusing finger hovering in mid-air, and his face slowly shifted from righteous indignation to a knowing smile.

"Uh-oh," said Sonic, stifling a laugh, "looks like the penny's finally dropped."

"You turn them off on purpose, don't you?" said Shadow, "You _want_ her to make a play for the Master Emerald. It's like a game of cat and mouse to you. I wonder, how does she reward you for catching her?"

Knuckles had turned so red he now resembled one of Shadow's Chaos doppelgangers, and Sonic imagined plumes of smoke billowing from his friend's ears.

"Look over there!" yelled Knuckles, pointing behind Sonic, "it's Tails!"

"Nice try, Knucklehead, but I'm not falling-"

Something leapt onto Sonic's back, and he tumbled forward onto the polished hospital floor. Rolling over onto his back, he looked up to see a pair of shimmering blue eyes, and the most adorable face he knew he'd ever see.

Sonic laughed, overcome by pure happiness, and began to ruffle his friend's fur all over. Tails giggled with childish glee at being tickled, and began to tickle Sonic in kind, leaving both boys rolling on the floor laughing. Noticing the strange looks the people in the reception area were giving them, they rose to their feet and embraced tightly, pushing their fur together and sharing the warmth of their feelings.

"I'm so glad to see you again, Sonic!" cried Tails, nuzzling against Sonic's chest.

"Me too, little buddy," Sonic said, feeling his eyes beginning to well up, "I've missed you so much. I'm sorry I had to leave you."

"I always knew you'd come back for me, Sonic," said Tails, pulling away from the hug, "I never doubted you, not for a second."

The two boys stood arm in arm, staring longingly at each other, while in the corner of his eye Sonic noticed Knuckles gazing at them, a look of guilt on his face undercut with another that Sonic couldn't quite identify.

"Oh, Hi Shadow!" said Tails, looking around Sonic's torso, "how are you?"

"I'm fine," said Shadow, "it's good to see you are not hurt."

"Well, I was, but Knuckles took care of me."

Sonic nodded towards Knuckles, and the echidna nodded back, the two silently exchanging appreciation of the other.

"Say, Shadow," said Tails, "you look different somehow, did you do something with your quills?"

After a long pause Shadow spoke.

"No," he grunted, "should I have?"

"Oh," said Tails, and Sonic noticed the fox's face flashing crimson as he avoided Shadow's gaze, "never... never mind, then."

"Hey Tails, look at this," said Sonic, trying to snap Tails out of his funny turn, "I got you a present."

He led Tails to where Metal Shadow lay, and the little fox's eyes lit up in wonder.

"Wow!" he said, pawing at the bot and examining every screw and bolt, "a customised X-32 series robo-hedgehog with a modified power-chassis. Neat!"

"This is Metal Shadow," said Sonic, "or what's left of him. This bucket of bolts was the true mastermind behind all the doppelgangers. I thought you might want to take a look at him."

"You bet! Eggman's creations always fascinate me, even more so now there aren't going to be any more of them."

"Yeah, sorry," said Sonic, rubbing the back of his head, "Eggman's still alive."

"What?! But I saw him -"

"Long story, little buddy," said Sonic, turning to look at Shadow, who was talking with Knuckles, "We've got a lot of things to catch up on."

"Don't worry, Sonic," said Tails, smiling warmly, "We've got all the time in the world." Sonic smiled back, but his smile quickly faded when he caught Shadow walking out the hospital door in the corner of his eye.

"Shadow, wait!" he cried, zipping over to him and grabbing his arm, "where are you going?"

"I'm going to find Rouge," he said, "Knuckles told me she's gone to Empire City to check in with GUN."

"Okay, I'll see you later then." Shadow's face grew cold and distant.

"Actually, Sonic," he said, not looking into his eyes, "I think it best if we spend some time apart after I come back."

"What?" said Sonic, panic rising in his heart, "that's it? After all we've been through, you're leaving me?"

"You know why I want to be alone Sonic," he said, looking sternly into his eyes, "even with your personality inside me, I can't supress those feelings. You must understand this."

"Yeah," said Sonic, frowning, "I do... I guess."

Shadow took hold of Sonic's hand in both of his and held it tight.

"I will come back," he said, "at the first sign of trouble, I'll be back to fight alongside you. You were right, I do enjoy getting into danger with you. In fact, it's probably the only time I do enjoy myself. I just can't... handle the quiet times in-between. Even knowing how you feel about me can't fix that."

"It's alright, Shadow," said Sonic, patting Shadow's shoulder with his free hand, "I've felt what it's like to have that cloud hanging over you. I'll be supporting you, even from a distance. If you ever need me, you'll always know where to find me."

The two stood in silence, staring into each other's eyes and contemplating the other.

"It's funny when you think about it about, though," said Sonic, "all this crazy stuff; getting captured, fighting copies and insane robot overlords, nearly dying or going crazy a dozen times over."

"How is any that funny?" asked Shadow.

"Well," said Sonic, blushing slightly, "technically that was our first date."

Slowly Shadow began to smile, and he embraced Sonic, holding him close and nuzzling his fur.

"Yes," he said, "I suppose it was."

Shadow pulled away, then moved back in again, pressing his lips against Sonic's own. As their tongues embraced in the heat of each other's mouths, a harmony spread between the mingling flesh. Sonic had experienced his kisses from Shadow's perspective, and knew every subtle like and dislike, passively compensating for his own inexperience. He knew Shadow did the same, and the movements of their lips became in perfect sync, touching and brushing against each other in total sync, while neither tongue fought for dominance, instead forming a passionate partnership within them, with even their heavy breaths rattling in harmony. Though they had shared something greater than physical pleasure, the intimacy of that union made the kiss something greater than Sonic had even experienced before

As Sonic opened his eyes, climbing down from the heights of his ecstasy, he noticed a group of kids holding their smartphones up and giggling amongst themselves.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer!" said Sonic, sticking out his tongue.

"That's what we _are_ doing," said one of them, a St. Bernard pup in a purple beanie, "this is so going on the internet."

"We knew you never did any of that stuff, Sonic," said a female squirrel amongst the group, "you wouldn't attack the city, you're a hero! Can we get your autograph, please?"

"Anything for a fan," said Sonic, letting Shadow go, "got a pen?" The kids eagerly whipped out pre-prepared pieces of paper and pens, their faces beaming as Sonic began signing.

"Same old Sonic," said Shadow, shaking his head "I know you love the attention, but I really have to go now."

"Okay, see you later," said Sonic. As crimson light began to envelop Shadow, Sonic felt a weight of sadness begin to press down on him.

And then he had a brilliant idea.

"Shadow, wait!" he cried, dashing away from his confused fans and putting out his hand to stop the black hedgehog. The crimson light faded, and Shadow turned to look at him.

"What is it?"

"Eggman still has the lifeform data he stole from Metal Shadow," said Sonic, "if we don't hurry, he'll use that info to create more copies of us."

"So..." said Shadow, the gears of his mind clearly turning, "you're suggesting we run half-cocked into Robotnik's lair, make our way through his deadly security devices and an army of Badniks, probably fall into a trap he's set for us, bust out of it, wreck his plans and escape, preferably by outrunning the base's self-destruct?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Sonic said with a wink.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to spend more time with me, Faker."

"You got me, Shads. Guilty as charged," Sonic marched up to Shadow, holding out his hand, "are you coming?" Shadow smiled a devilish smirk.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he said, shaking Sonic's hand.

"Hold on just one sec," said Sonic. He turned and dashed back into the hospital reception, planting a kiss on Tails' forehead, and one on Knuckles despite his squirming, and despite having to stand on tiptoes to do it.

"Okay gotta run see you later love you bye!" he chattered as he zipped towards the door.

"Sonic, wait!" cried Tails, making Sonic stop on a dime, "you're leaving again? You only just got back! What's so important you have to go right now?"

Sonic puffed up his chest, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm going out on a date!"

**THE END.**

~o~


End file.
